Pubdate: Wed, 15 Jan 2014
Source: Cochrane Times (CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 Osprey Media
Contact: http://www.cochranetimes.com/letters
Website: http://www.cochranetimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1588
Author: David Feil

MARIJUANA PRODUCTION CENTRE MEETING

Richards Meets With Cremona Area Residents To Address
Concerns

MP Blake Richards was at The Gold and Silver Centre in Cremona on Fri.
Jan. 10 to take part in a meeting meant to address the concerns of
residents about a medicinal marijuana production centre that is being
developed in the area.

Unfortunately little was accomplished as Richards was the only
official in attendance and most of the citizens' concerns were based
on the facility's location, which falls under the zoning bylaws of
Mountain View County. Mountain View County didn't send a
representative.

As such, the presentation mostly covered the federal aspects of the
Medicinal Marijuana Purpose Regulations and the Medicinal Marijuana
Access Program, with Richards making it clear he was not there to
debate the merits of marijuana usage.

"It would be nice if a program like this didn't have to exist,"
Richards told the attending Cremona residents. "But we'll do our best
(to make them work)."

Based on consultations in 2011 and 2012 with medical experts,
emergency services, municipalities and various organizations, the
federal government introduced new regulations that required patients
receive a prescription from their doctor to use medicinal marijuana
and a license for possession from Health Canada.

Patients would then receive their medicine via secure courier bringing
the marijuana straight from a production facility. It cannot be
purchased any other way and patients are no longer allowed to grow
their own.

When it comes to production facilities, they must notify their local
government, police force and fire department of their intentions prior
to any application being sent to Health Canada. This allows local
stakeholders to express any concerns they might have with such an
operation with the potential producer and Health Canada, which
includes revisiting any pertinent bylaws.

If an operation is found to be in accordance to zoning bylaws and any
other requirements, the producer and personnel must get security
clearance from Health Canada and meet their 24/7 security standard,
which includes surveillance and alarm systems.

Both the municipality and Health Canada can inspect the premises to
ensure full compliance.

None of this alleviated the concerns of residents.

"I don't care how secure their crop is. I care about my family," one
woman said, a sentiment echoed repeatedly during the meeting.

It was made clear that everyone in Cremona knows exactly where the
facility will be and, given that residents expect crime to come with
it, they will be putting up signs to let everyone know their property
is not growing marijuana.

Though Richards had no data on hand concerning crime surrounding these
facilities, Health Canada and the RCMP have said organized crime is
uninterested in medicinal marijuana operations because of the low THC
levels, which is increased by cutting marijuana with more potent drugs.

The marijuana produced is also digitally sampled so that if marijuana
is found in the hands of someone without a prescription it can be
traced back to the facility it was produced in and a criminal
investigation will be initiated.

The fact that the premises are to be made secure is also expected to
make breaking in too much trouble for such a low return.

Most medicinal marijuana operations, primarily in B.C. and Ontario,
are restricted to industrial areas and do not have an agricultural
designation, something Rocky View County is looking at adding to their
own bylaws.

Residents feel they were blindsided by the potential facility coming
to Cremona because they received no word until ground was broken at
the site.

According to Richards, the producer informed Mountain View County
about his intent in the spring and the county seemed to be under the
impression that they had no input beyond granting a development permit.

No effort appears to have been made to inform Cremona's residents or
town council.

Richards did not find out about the issues surrounding the facility
until Oct. 10, at which point he got in touch with both Mountain View
County and Health Canada to pass on concerns.

One resident was upset that Richards did not know about the
application sooner, or about the veracity of another four potential
facilities in the works around Carstairs.

"I can't answer for decisions made by municipal council," Richards
said.

The following day, Reeve Bruce Bettie sent an e-mail saying he did not
receive notification as he was on holiday but was open to anyone
approaching him to discuss the matter.

In addition, he said that council has proposed changes to the land use
bylaw so that these facilities would be limited to industrial parks.
However, council is unable to change bylaws retroactively so it is
unlikely they can do anything about the current facility. Neither can
the county simply prohibit a legal operation from setting up shop.

Though the potential medicinal marijuana producer has a development
permit no license has been issued yet as security measures still need
to be demonstrated.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D