Pubdate: Fri, 10 Aug 2012
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012Lower Mainland Publishing Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: Jeremy Deutsch

NO WEED LEFT AT POT DISPENSARY: OWNER

The first and only medical pot dispensary in the Tri-Cities is 
essentially no more.

While the Coquitlam Natural Path Society still has a storefront shop 
in Maillardville, it does not have any marijuana on site and will not 
dispense the drug, according to the owner.

For now, the society will keep the space open to be used as a 
resource of information for its clients.

The society's founder and president, Christopher MacLeod, said the 
withdrawal of services is a direct result of a decision last month by 
Coquitlam city council to ban unlicensed marijuana dispensaries in the city.

"Once council says no, to go against council at this point would be 
silly," he told The NOW, adding the dispensary won't be offering 
medication until it can get an actual licence.

In July, following a public hearing, Coquitlam city council voted 
unanimously to ban unlicensed marijuana dispensaries in the city and 
pass regulations on the location of federally licensed grow-ops.

MacLeod noted another member of the society will operate the space, 
but he's not sure what will happen to the office in the long term.

The plans are to keep an email address for the society in case 
someone needs a contact.

For MacLeod, it's a disappointing end to what was a hopeful venture 
just a couple of months ago.

He said the closure would likely force him into bankruptcy and back 
to regular work to help pay the bills.

MacLeod estimated he spent $10,000 getting the dispensary up and running.

However, he said it's the clients he's most disappointed for, 
suggesting they'll have to travel downtown Vancouver to get their 
medication - or turn to the streets.

"It's going to hurt a lot of people," MacLeod said.

In its short existence, the dispensary managed to sign up 140 clients.

MacLeod did, however, hint at what he called a "plan B" for his 
dispensary, but did not give any details.

The dispensary was open less than two months, but it certainly 
courted plenty of reaction and debate.

Neighbours in the Maillardville area came out in opposition to the 
location of the dispensary, while Coquitlam RCMP made a point of 
issuing a statement reminding the public there was no legal mechanism 
for the shop to operate.

Though council voted unanimously to ban the dispensary, the group 
voted to write a letter asking the federal government to establish 
the regulatory framework for the production and dispensing of medical marijuana.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom