Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jul 2016 Source: Penticton Herald (CN BC) Copyright: 2016 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers Contact: http://www.pentictonherald.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/664 Page: A8 SHOP MUST FOLLOW RULES Procedure is the issue, not benefits of marijuana Jukka Laurio is right, but he's wrong. Laurio made an unscripted plea before Penticton City Council asking to rescind the suspension of the business licence for his Rush In and Finish Cafe, which sells much more than coffee and baked goods. Laurio politely argued that many of his clients suffer medical conditions and benefit greatly from cannabis he also sells there. He said marijuana is in the process of being legalized and Justin Trudeau won a majority in the last election with pot being a major plank in the Liberal campaign. Laurio said he never hid from the fact it was a pot shop as he granted interviews with the media dating back to November. Laurio is right in much of what he said but the issue he failed to address was that his shop is licensed as a cafe - not as a medical marijuana dispensary. The city had no choice. Rules are in place for the protection of a neighbourhood. He's providing a complex service that needs to be regulated. If Laurio is interested in providing such a service he, like anybody else, needs to go through the proper channels. Voting in support of Laurio were Mayor Andrew Jakubeit and Coun. Tarik Sayeed. Sayeed correctly noted that pot shops are a rapidly evolving issue that's not going to go away anytime soon. Earlier this week there was a passionate meeting held in Osoyoos where council there is trying to figure out what to do. While the majority of Canadians support the legalization (or at least decriminalization) of marijuana, the federal government certainly hasn't made it an easy transition for police, municipalities and citizens. - -James Miller - --- MAP posted-by: Matt