Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jun 2011
Source: Outlook, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/MRtUjxYF
Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/northshoreoutlook/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1433
Author: Sean Kolenko, North Shore Outlook

DNV COUNCIL STONEWALLS DEEP COVE POT SHOP

Just one week after hosting a packed town hall meeting to discuss the
medical marijuana dispensary planned for Deep Cove, District of North
Vancouver council voted on the dispensary's fate late Tuesday night.

In a unanimous decision, council decided to support its new bylaw
preventing the sale and distribution of marijuana anywhere in the
district "except by persons authorized under the Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act, Medical Marihuana Access Regulations and any other
applicable legislation."

The proposed dispensary was to be run by the Re-Leaf Society, a
registered non-profit society formed by Deep Cove resident Ken Starr .
The dispensary would not have operated under federal jurisdiction, no
dispensary does, so the district's bylaw has closed the door on
Starr's plans. Final adoption of the bylaw is scheduled for June 27.

Much of Tuesday's special council meeting was spent discussing the
perceived ineffectiveness - documented in much of the literature
submitted to council by dispensary supporters last week - of the
federal medicinal marijuana program. Judgments of, and suggestions
for, the allegedly failing system, however, are an issue for Ottawa,
said each member of council. The question facing North Vancouver is
land use.

"I'm rather disappointed in the federal government for not helping
more but it is a federal decision," said Coun. Doug MacKay-Dunn.
"Everyone on council can appreciate the pain and suffering of people
who were here last week. But politics is all local and people want us
to ensure land is used appropriately."

Coun. Alan Nixon, in a sentiment echoed by fellow councillors, said he
"was particularly perturbed by threats of political retribution [from
last week's meeting]... It's never the way of getting the support of
council."

The threats Nixon alluded to came from Jacob Hunter, policy director
of the medicinal marijuana advocacy group the Beyond Prohibition
Foundation. In a phone interview with The Outlook last week, Kirk
Tousaw, lawyer for Re-Leaf and member of the Beyond Prohibition
Foundation, said his group would be prepared to continue advocating
for dispensaries in the district if the bylaw was passed.

After the meeting Starr told reporters he had a scheduled meeting with
Tousaw on June 22 to discuss his organization's next steps. Starr
would not confirm whether he had any plans of taking legal action
against the district. Starr did say he was surprised how
"unsupportive" council was on the issue, citing again the need for
such an operation. His research, he added, showed the majority of
medicinal marijuana users in the district live between the Deep Cove
and Lonsdale areas.

"I'm not comfortable going into Vancouver to open. I wanted to do it
here," said Starr.

"The district missed a huge opportunity to help and educate people.
They passed the buck."

In contrast to council's assertions that Starr had never approached
district hall about his intentions, Starr said he had called a number
of times since last summer to discuss required zonings.

Requests for comments from council were denied, as they are unable to
discuss the proceedings until after the bylaw adoption on Monday.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.