Pubdate: Sat, 01 Oct 2016
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Peterborough Examiner
Contact: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/letters
Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Page: A4

SECOND RAID SHOULD MEAN END OF POT STORE

In the national back-and-forth conversation over how to treat illegal
marijuana stores, Peterborough police have weighed in forcefully on
the shut-'em-down side. That's not surprising and not a position that
should be criticized.

When the owner of a local Cannabis Culture pot franchise announced in
August that he would open a George St. store we suggested police would
be best to let the store operate while monitoring its promise not to
sell to minors or to those without a doctor's letter stating they
require marijuana for medical purposes.

We also noted the wide variety of reactions to the pot store dilemma
among city councils police departments across the country.

The dilemma is that selling marijuana is illegal at the moment but the
federal Liberal government has promised to decriminalize the drug in
some manner and at some point, likely early next year.

 From a strict law and order view that makes the decision easy. As
local Deputy Chief Tim Farquharson has said, selling or buying
marijuana is against the law. Given that upholding the law is the
primary function of police they would seem to have little choice but
to lay charges; which they have now done, twice.

The anomaly is that a majority of Canadians don't believe marijuana
should be illegal. And the local store was certainly popular, drawing
lineups during the three days it was open prior to charges first being
laid and again, briefly, this week before police again shut it down.

But the store was not popular with everyone. Police said nearby George
St. businesses complained about the lineups and the number of people
hanging around outside and smoking.

Terry Guiel, executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement
Area, confirmed that DBIA members were upset by the situation.

That alone wouldn't normally be cause for police action, but
disruptive stores are not normally selling illegal products.

Marijuana crusader Marc Emery did the store no favour when he arrived
with a message that charges against pot store owners and staff
galvanize "our animosity toward police and government"

Emery, who founded the Cannabis Culture chain, might win sympathy for
his argument that marijuana is safer and more effective for relief of
pain and anxiety than many prescription drugs but goes too far when he
attacks police for upholding the law, and governments for moving
carefully to change it.

It appears Peterborough will not have storefront marijuana available
until after legalization takes effect. (And maybe not then, since the
Trudeau government has not indicated how liberal it intends to be on
the sales and dispensing side.)

That's unfortunate for some and a blessing for others, but not an
issue of overwhelming importance.
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MAP posted-by: Matt