Report Looks at Process to Regulate Medical Marijuana Nanaimo city officials will explore options to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries as advocates call for standards. It's an important and positive step in the right direction, says Matthew O'Donnell, Nanaimo Cannabis Coalition spokesman and operations manager for Phoenix Pain Management Society, of the recent decision. "Realistically this is where the real work begins," he said. "The discussion is actually starting." Nanaimo city council called on staff last week to report on licensing regulation options for medical marijuana dispensaries, and will also consider a joint letter with the City of Victoria, asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when the federal government will have guidelines for municipalities on dispensaries and legalization. [continues 401 words]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn't committing to the sale of marijuana in liquor outlets, as Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and others have suggested, but he isn't ruling it out. During a visit to Vancouver City Hall on Thursday - the first by a sitting prime minister since Mr. Trudeau's father, Pierre, visited in 1973 - Mr. Trudeau said he is open to all "best practices" on the issue as he forges ahead with his commitment to legalize and regulate marijuana. [continues 721 words]
Further regulations will be imposed on marijuana dispensaries in Port Alberni, following recommendations from the chamber of commerce. In a letter dated Dec. 3, the chamber agreed with the proposed city regulations but asked for a few of their own: requiring all not-for-profit dispensaries to still have a business licence; not allowing them at Harbour Quay or Victoria Quay because they are high tourist areas; increased enforcement of business licence bylaws in general and that smoking regulations from the BC Tobacco laws would also apply to dispensaries. [continues 306 words]
Government run pot shops: The issues to be dealt with in legalizing marijuana are so complex, it's unlikely to get fast approval OK, I'll say it: What was she smoking? Except that Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne's vision of a state-run monopoly on the fragrant weed, courtesy of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, is quite plausible, given the logic of imminent legalization. What becomes readily apparent, as the federal Liberals continue to find their footing, is that the idea of legalization of marijuana has never been deeply examined. [continues 811 words]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn't committing to the sale of marijuana in liquor outlets, as Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and others have suggested, but he isn't ruling it out. During a visit to Vancouver City Hall on Thursday - the first by a sitting prime minister since Mr. Trudeau's father, Pierre, visited in 1973 - Mr. Trudeau said he is open to all "best practices" on the issue as he forges ahead with his commitment to legalize and regulate marijuana. [continues 726 words]
Dispensaries, not liquor stores, are the best outlets to sell recreational pot, according to the Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries. The statement comes shortly after B.C.'s and Ontario's public service unions called for legalized marijuana to be sold in liquor stores. Vancouver's Jamie Shaw, president of the CAMCD, said having the two substances under the same roof could be dangerous. "A lot of people are using cannabis to get off of alcohol, so that isn't a very good message to send. There have been studies that confirm alcohol and cannabis together heighten the effects of both," she said. [continues 165 words]
Nanaimo May Write Its Own Regulations for How Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Operate. Nanaimo city council passed a motion this week asking city staff to investigate steps other cities have taken to regulate pot storefronts. The motion followed presentations from representatives of several dispensaries. Three of 10 pot storefronts were recently raided by Nanaimo RCMP, and some appeared before council asking the city to regulate the fledgling industry. The raids followed a warning from Health Canada earlier this year to dispensaries, that they are not operating within the law. That was before the Liberals were elected on a pro-legalization platform. [continues 191 words]
Eight stores have taken the lead in the race to be Vancouver's first "legal" marijuana shop. The City of Vancouver has revealed the addresses of the eight stores farthest along in the process to get a development permit and business licence for a medical marijuana-related business. Located across the city, from Kitsilano and West Point Grey to Renfrew-Collingwood and Sunset, these shops were previously zoned for use as hair salons, barber shops, general offices and retail stores. It's the first time the city has disclosed the locations of stores most likely to succeed under the city's new scheme to regulate marijuana dispensaries. Of the 176 applicants to the program, only 11 were located in permitted zones and were at least 300 metres away from schools, community centres, youth facilities and other marijuana-related businesses. [continues 86 words]
Nanaimo's hospital is the first on the Island to offer a take-home antidote for fentanyl. Nanaimo Regional General Hospital's emergency department began handing out two-syringe Naloxone kits last week to offer people a take-home antidote for opioid overdoses like fentanyl and heroin. AIDS Vancouver Island in Nanaimo also offers the kit and Harris House plans to begin dispensing it in January, seeing it as a life-saving tool akin to EpiPen. The kits are paid for through the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and in part, a response to an increasing use of fentanyl in illicit drugs. [continues 436 words]
Over the summer, Tanniel St. John, 13, was suffering from non-epileptic seizures. Like 170 seizures a day suffering. When she started taking medical marijuana oil three times a day in September, the number of seizures dropped to 20 small ones per day. St. John and her mom, Elizabeth Baker, both from Vernon, were among the close to 50 people taking part in a peaceful awareness walk at noon Friday at Vernon City Hall, organized by a coalition of Vernon medical cannabis dispensaries and compassion shops. [continues 736 words]
Friday Rally at City Hall Draws About 50 Supporters Approximately 50 cannabis and medical marijuana users, friends and supporters gathered at Vernon City Hall at noon on Friday to make a point about their use of the product. "It's medicine, not a drug," was an often repeated statement by many of the proponents. Jeff Gaudette, who owns MMJ Total Healthcare, organized the event to emphasize that what he and four other dispensaries offer goes beyond supplying marijuana to those who have a medical certificate. [continues 316 words]
Sailors aboard the coastal-defence vessels HMCS Brandon and HMCS Whitehorse are returning to Victoria after having done commendable work in disrupting the flow of illegal drugs into North America. They have served well and they deserve a warm homecoming. It's no reflection on their professionalism and achievements, however, to point out that their efforts won't do much to slow or halt the international illicit drug trade. As long as there is a market, the drugs will keep coming. [continues 449 words]
To the Editor, Re: Pot shops had to be closed, Editorial, Dec. 3. I've only lived in Nanaimo for a few years, but I get the impression that few people here know much about cannabis or the fact that humans have been using the plant for medical, spiritual, and social reasons for thousands of years. The News Bulletin says it supports the police raids of local medical marijuana dispensaries because "they were dealing drugs" and not providing education and other trappings that come with legalization. I find this surprising, partly because I learned more about cannabis from medical marijuana dispensaries than I did from years of working as a writer at an addictions research office. (I had read and written about cannabis many times, but I didn't really 'get it' until I got bone cancer and survived my first soul-crushing chemotherapy session. It turned out cannabis was the only drug that could stop me from throwing up and giving up, and it still helps with mood and bouts of debilitating fear.) Dispensary staff taught me which products and methods worked best for nausea, anxiety, mouth sores, and so on. [continues 106 words]
Suspensions Remain 'Fairly Steady' When Const. Ian MacDonald reviewed the report from the Abbotsford police's roadside CounterAttack last Saturday, he initially thought he was missing something. There were 157 places where drivers were stopped across B.C. during a CounterAttack campaign last Friday night. Police forces are seeing not only alcohol-impaired drivers but marijuana-impaired motorists as well. The overnight report included four driving suspensions for drivers impaired by marijuana, but there were no mentions of drivers impaired by alcohol. [continues 428 words]
The Herbal-Health Centre (THHC), a medical cannabis dispensary in Vernon, is calling for a moratorium on any further RCMP intervention in the fledgling industry until the new Liberal government formalizes its plans for the legalization of the product. Imre Kovacs, who represents a coalition of dispensaries in Vernon, said RCMP action at various dispensaries around B.C. including one that he is involved in, make it clear there is much confusion surrounding the anticipated legalization of cannabis and the sensible thing to do would be to maintain the status quo until such time as the government acts upon and changes the legislation and regulation of cannabis. [continues 545 words]
To the Editor, Re: Pot shops had to be closed, Editorial, Dec. 3. We categorically reject the editorial's painting of all dispensaries with the same brush. Trees Dispensary has worked very hard to be a legitimate business that contributes to the local economy and the health of the City of Nanaimo. We employ over 40 people at a living wage, and offer health and dental benefits. We stand behind our employees. We are now paying their legal fees, and we will continue to pay their wages even though they are now prohibited from returning to work. The "regulation, taxation, and education" the editorial speaks of is something that we have been working very hard on for over a year. We pay payroll taxes, GST, and income tax. We have an account with Canada Revenue Agency and have paid over $200,000 of taxes to the federal govenrment since we began operations. [continues 136 words]
Nanaimo medical cannabis retailers remain open after last week's RCMP bust, but some are now limiting stock on hand to control losses in case of another raid. On Dec. 1 police raided three of 10 Nanaimo pot dispensaries, seized marijuana and cash and arrested everyone inside. Phoenix Pain Management now keeps a small quantity of the drug on site. "We have about 10 per cent of what we would normally have in stock," said Matt O'Donnell, community advocate with Phoenix. [continues 286 words]
To the editor, Regarding cannabis dispensaries, you opined "skirting the law - or outright breaking it - will not bring solutions any faster." ("Solving The Marijuana Question Is Going To Take Time," Dec. 8). Patients would not have a constitutional right to medicinal cannabis if they had not broken and challenged the law in court. Nor would they have a right to make and possess extracts and edibles if a compassion club in Victoria had not disobeyed and challenged that prohibition in court. [continues 126 words]
Counsellor says all areas of marijuana issue should be discussed Marijuana is going to be legalized. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speech from the throne, read Friday by Gov. General David Johnston, said the Liberal government would introduce legislation that will "legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana." But before you run to the nearest dispensary and buy a dime-bag of their finest ganja, maybe it's time to step back and evaluate the downside of the drug. It's not hard to find research that highlights the positive, medicinal effects of marijuana. [continues 972 words]
Inside British Columbia
