Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jul 2016
Source: Scarborough Mirror, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 The Scarborough Mirror
Contact:  http://www.insidetoronto.com/scarborough-toronto-on/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2198
Author: Mike Adler

MARIJUANA LAWS A 'TRAIN WRECK' SCARBOROUGH COUNCILLOR TOLD

Let the market decide how many licensed pot shops Toronto should have,
some marijuana advocates told Scarborough Councillor Jim Karygiannis
this week.

Others, represented by the Toronto Dispensaries Coalition, proposed a
set of rules (see sidebar) which include mandatory distances from
schools and other dispensaries.

Toronto Council's Licensing and Standards Committee, however, won't
start talking about regulating dispensaries until at least October.

In May and again in June, the group of councillors sent away
representatives of the city's marijuana industry who wanted to set up
some regulations.

Karygiannis, who is a member of the committee, invited them back to
Toronto City Hall on Monday so they could be heard.

No other councillors showed up during their summer break to listen,
but Michael McLellan of the Toronto Dispensaries Coalition made his
case dispensaries are "the safest, best option" for marijuana sales,
doing the city more good than harm.

People in the storefront marijuana trade told Karygiannis they don't
want their distribution handed over to "novices" - as one dispensary
owner, Chris Cardozo, called them - such as Shoppers Drug Mart or the
LCBO after Ottawa legalizes the drug.

Several said charges from Project Claudia, as raids of dozens of
Toronto pot shops by police in May were called, won't stand up in court.

Abi Hod, owner of the Hot Box lounge in Kensington Market, said pot
should be licensed like liquor, and cannabis lounges should be able to
sell to customers.

Hod said there are now seven such vapour lounges in Toronto, all
operating on a bring-your-own basis.

When Karygiannis asked her how many dispensaries and lounges the city
should allow, Hod said a free market will limit the number.

"Is there a cap of the amount of bars that can be licensed?" asked
Marko Ivancicevic, a patient advocate who also backed this position.

Constantine Beltsis, a medical marijuana patient, told the councillor
Toronto's dispensaries make "offensive" profits from pot, selling at
prices tough to afford, especially on a fixed income or disability
allowance.

"I've yet to find a compassionate dispensary in Toronto," said
Beltsis, calling Canada's current regulations on medical marijuana use
"nothing short of a train wreck."
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MAP posted-by: Matt