Pubdate: Wed, 22 Feb 2017
Source: Goldstream Gazette (Victoria, CN BC)
Copyright: 2017 Black Press
Contact:  http://www.vicnews.com/eeditions/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1291

POT SHOP EPISODE A COMPLEX AFFAIR

It's pretty clear Langford Mayor Stew Young wants no part of a
Victoria-style, free-for-all marijuana dispensary market in his city.

His stance and that of his council is clear, that until the federal
government legislates changes to related passages in the Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act, the City will consider storefront marijuana
sales to be an illegal activity, as per the RCMP policy.

The City has a safety valve bylaw that would allow medical marijuana
to be sold in a pharmacy, if there were such a rule on the federal
books, which there isn't yet.

Lorne Fletcher, Langford's chief bylaw enforcement officer, said some
people may not quite understand where the various levels of
enforcement begin and end in this situation.

The municipality "doesn't have the authority to wade into law
enforcement issues," he said. Where it can wield a legislative hammer
is in the area of licensing, permits and inspections.

West Shore RCMP have been keeping a close watch on the operations of
the store during its bold opening stints.

Finding some form of illegal distribution happening on the premises in
their visits to Green Tree Dispensary has so far been a
high-percentage action.

Meanwhile, the City is enforcing its regulations around requirement
for permits for tenant improvements - a stop work order was filed over
that violation - and sign installation, as well as securing a business
licence.

According to Fletcher, the pot supplier did not contact the City for
any of those aspects of its operation and has been fined
accordingly.

Given Green Tree's history in Canada for reopening dispensaries that
were shut down by various enforcement agencies, the City took the
added step of obtaining a court injunction to prevent them from
continuing to operate in contravention of City bylaws.

Regardless of how one feels about the availability of marijuana for
medical purposes, or recreational for that matter, it's hard to have
any sympathy for a company that refuses to follow even the most simple
rules of business.
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MAP posted-by: Matt