Pubdate: Wed, 29 Apr 2015
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Emily Jackson
Page: 1

WHEN WEED MEETS RED TAPE

Regulations headed for hearing despite federal rebuke

The City of Vancouver is ignoring reprimands from the federal
government and moving forward with plans to regulate the deluge of
marijuana-related businesses within its limits.

Council voted Tuesday to send proposed rules for the city's 85 pot
shops to a public hearing despite rebukes from federal Health Minister
Rona Ambrose, who wrote Mayor Gregor Robertson a letter reminding him
dispensaries and marijuana are illegal.

If the regulations pass the public hearing, Vancouver would become the
country's first city to pull pot shops into a legal framework.

City manager Penny Ballem argued in a presentation to council that the
city has a legal right to regulate land use and how a business
operates, even if that business is in legal limbo.

"We need to bring this into the best framework possible under the
circumstances," she said.

There are too many pot shops operating to continue overlooking them,
Ballem said, adding it's not fair for other businesses that they don't
have to follow the rules.

The rules are strict - they include a three-step process to obtain a
licence, a $30,000 fee and stipulations that would force the majority
of shops to relocate or close. But it's not yet clear how easy they
would be to enforce.

The city wants to find a balance between providing access to patients
who need marijuana for their well-being - Ballem, a doctor, cited
cannabis as a helpful substance to alleviate pain for those with
cancer, HIV or more serious addictions - and public safety issues such
as organized crime and selling marijuana to minors.

Vancouver Coastal Health Dr. Patricia Daly supports the regulations.
She agrees with the federal government's concerns of marijuana use
among youth, but much like the Insite case, she disagrees with Ottawa
about how to reduce the harm of drug use.

"We know that trying to shut these places down will just drive
distribution of marijuana back into the illegal market," Daly told
reporters after the meeting.

"The best way to reduce harms is to actually legalize the substance
and strictly regulate it."

Daly said the federal government should acknowledge dispensaries that
exist because of problems with its program for people to access
medical marijuana.

Supt. Mike Porteous said Vancouver police do enforce laws against
dispensaries, but they're not a priority unless there are aggravating
factors such as selling to children or organized crime.
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MAP posted-by: Matt