Pubdate: Thu, 16 Mar 2017 Source: Penticton Herald (CN BC) Copyright: 2017 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers Contact: http://www.pentictonherald.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/664 Author: Joe Fries Page: A3 LETTER FROM RCMP CLOSING POT SHOPS Hand-delivered note says police 'will consider taking action' if the shops continue 'to engage in illegal business practices' Threat letters from the Mounties to three marijuana dispensaries in Penticton have had the desired effect, with one shop already shuttered and the owner of another saying his will close soon, too. The letters, signed by Penticton RCMP acting commander Staff-Sgt. Kirsten Marshall, outline Health Canada regulations for the sale of medical marijuana and note police "will consider taking action" if the shops continue "to engage in illegal business practices." Such action could include arrests, searches and seizures. It's unclear what prompted Mounties to act now, since at least one of the shops has been running for nearly two years, while city council went through an extensive process in December to create special temporary-use permits for the other two shops ahead of planned federal decriminalization of marijuana. "The RCMP is responsible for enforcing Canadian laws, as they stand today. Our communities expect that we will take enforcement action to meet this responsibility, and do so in an impartial and professional manner," Marshall said in a statement Wednesday. "The RCMP encourages local businesses to conduct their operations within the current scope of local, provincial and federal laws. Business operators who choose to conduct their operations outside of these laws may be investigated." Marshall said there is "no timeline for enforcement, if it will occur at all." Herbal Green Apothecary owner Jukka Laurio said his letter was hand-delivered earlier this week by plainclothes officers with little in the way of an explanation. "They just indicated that things have changed and it's time to change things," said Laurio. He believes the federal government has ordered the RCMP to crack down on dispensaries to help clear the slate ahead of decriminalization. Laurio, whose shop is the only one of the three without a temporary-use permit, said he now plans to wind down his operation by the end of the month. "Three years ago, the original plan was to establish a licensed marijuana production facility, and I haven't been able to do it because this dispensary has been all-encompassing," he said. The letter also contributed to his decision to close up shop, Laurio said, because he doesn't have the resources to take on the federal government. Green Essence Dispensary, which also got a letter, closed Wednesday. Calls to the shop weren't answered. The other letter recipient, Okanagan Cannaboid Therapy, remains open. A man who answered the phone there Wednesday declined comment. People can still get medical marijuana through official channels, although city council heard getting a doctor's permission is difficult, and it therefore moved to permit the dispensaries, making Penticton the first Okanagan municipality to do so. Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said he was caught off-guard by the Mounties' letters. "Marijuana dispensaries have been in the spotlight not only in Penticton but elsewhere, and to date the federal government haven't been helpful, plus the RCMP have not provided enforcement," Jakubeit said in a statement, noting that's another reason the city issued the two temporary-use permits. "This enforcement letter would have been nice to see nine months ago. Now I believe there are other issues, such as property crime and targeting prolific offenders, that the RCMP need to focus their resources on." - --- MAP posted-by: Matt