Pubdate: Thu, 08 Dec 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
Author: James Miller
Page: A6

POT TALK BY COUNCIL

The final outcome of Tuesday's marathon session of Penticton City
Council was a decent compromise. Council approved short-term licensing
for two Penticton dispensaries, denying five other requests. It's a
temporary six-month license as Penticton - as well as the rest of
Canada - waits for direction from the federal government.

In fairness to municipalities like Osoyoos and Penticton, the Liberals
have left local governments and RCMP holding the bag. The majority of
Canadians are in favour of legalizing marijuana and making it easier
for those who require it for medical purposes to obtain it safely and
conveniently.

But it stops there. The Liberals don't appear to have a plan. They
don't have a set of rules. It's ludicrous to think the administering
of cannabis could be in the hands of any Tom, Dick or Harry who
applies for a licence rather than qualified pharmacists (you know, the
way the pharmaceutical industry works.)

So now the issue is before Penticton city council. All of the council
members present made valid points. It was certainly a tough decision.

The two shops that were awarded licences appear to be heads and
shoulders above some of the others in quality and professionalism.

We also heard emotional pleas from people who rely on the drug for
their well-being. It's also better for people needing pot to get it
from an approved dispensary rather than from the street.

The argument of pot shops creating a seedy environment is more eye of
the beholder. Once upon a time, some considered liquor stores to be
seedy. Some of the dispensary storefronts in Victoria and Vancouver
are quite attractive.

Although council was trying to take a lead by being progressive, the
arguments from Couns. Campbell Watt and Helena Konanz were correct.

Marijuana still is - at least for the moment - an illegal substance.
There is a compromise in mail orders. There are still so many
unanswered questions, council could be setting itself up for possible
legal issues or other unexpected problems.

Until such a time the product is deemed legal and the feds put the
proper guidelines in place, council should have chosen not to award
licenses.

There was some unintended irony on Page 1 of Tuesday's print edition
of The Herald. In between a photo of Cirque Musica was one headline:
"Overdose crisis the topic of emergency meeting." Opposite to it was
the headline: "Permits for pot shops would boost city coffers."
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MAP posted-by: Matt