Pubdate: Wed, 03 Sep 2014
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Page: A6
Copyright: 2014 The London Free Press
Contact: http://www.lfpress.com/letters
Website: http://www.lfpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243

UNTIL POT LAW CHANGES, ENFORCEMENT IS KEY

The stoners are getting creative and we're not so sure that's a good
thing.

The marijuana industry is attracting a lot of attention these
days.

Back in March the Financial Post ran an article headlined "Your 5-Step
Primer to Investing in Pot."

Former Ontario health minister George Smitherman, among others, is
currently developing a business to be a licensed medical marijuana
producer.

In other words, it's big business.

But the industry is also pushing the boundaries and expanding in some
questionable ways.

In April we reported on one restaurant that was serving up pot pizza.
The crusts contain whole wheat hemp hearts and the pies can be covered
with pot-infused oil.

The rules followed are that this product is available to anyone with a
prescription for medical marijuana and minors aren't allowed in.

Then just last week we reported on how The B.C. Pain Society is now
selling pot gift cards to accompany their marijuana vending machines
that were unveiled in May.

Anybody can purchase these gift cards to be used in the machines.
However, to redeem the cards, a person must show their medical
marijuana licence before approaching the machines.

The Vancouver Police Department's position is they acknowledge many
similar dispensaries as illegal but don't raid them so long as they
only sell to licensed users.

These stories certainly grab the headlines, but let's not forget the
basic facts:

The legal situation hasn't budged. Outside of medicinal purposes,
cannabis is still on the books as an illegal substance.

Sure, some businesses are managing to operate in a grey area. There's
clearly a market for these.

But innovations that make it easier to access the product also
increase the chance of marijuana falling into the hands of children.

We've previously acknowledged that a legal change seems
inevitable.

After all, a poll released as part of a QMI Agency feature in Dec.
2012 found 57% of Canadians support legalization of marijuana. Clearly
some form of legislative action is on the horizon.

But before any such changes occur - and even more so after they do -
businesses must follow the rules.

And police need to enforce the laws.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D