Pubdate: Mon, 04 May 2015
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2015 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Ian Bailey
Page: S2

REPORT URGES POT DISPENSARY CRACKDOWN

With cannabis businesses multiplying, tickets for bylaw offences and
suspensions or revocations of licences are needed, city staff say

The City of Victoria should crack down on marijuana businesses in the
community because their numbers are increasing in B.C.'s capital and
some are exposing youth to the drug, says a staff report.

Other related issues include the possible infiltration of organized
crime and a lack of effective or reasonable security measures to
protect employees and prevent robbery, says the report by Robert
Woodland, director of legislative and regulatory services, released on
Friday.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said, earlier in the week, that there was
generally a problem, and Vancouver was offering solutions with its
controversial crackdown on dispensaries. Mr. Woodland's report gets
into specifics that council will be discussing at a meeting on
Thursday ahead of a full vote on the issue next week.

For example, the report says Victoria has gone from having four
marijuana-related businesses to 18 in the year that ended last month.

Only seven of the known marijuana-related businesses in Victoria have
valid licences that would permit them to provide marijuana consulting
services and/or sell medical marijuana paraphernalia, says the report.
Four have had their licence applications rejected and may be operating
without licences, it says.

In his report, Mr. Woodland refers to "marijuana-related businesses"
that sell drug paraphernalia and/or provide medical advice or
consulting relating to the use of medical marijuana. But he adds,
"Many of these businesses are suspected to be selling [marijuana] in
contravention of federal laws." Also, "Some are operating without a
business licence despite being advised that a licence is required."

Because the status quo does not address concerns about the
dispensaries, Mr. Woodland says council should follow a
"straightforward path" of pro-active investigation of such businesses,
ticketing for bylaw offences and suspending or revoking business licences.

"Although the status quo has been presented as an option, the current
approach towards enforcement of business licensing requirements for
this sector does not address many of the concerns currently being
raised," the report says.

The debate in B.C's capital comes as Vancouver is developing a plan to
regulate marijuana dispensaries due to a surge from 20 in 2012 to
about 80 today.

But as city council considers such measures as imposing $30,000
licensing fees on new and existing dispensaries as well as tough rules
on where they can be located, federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose has
accused the city of normalizing the sale of marijuana.

On Thursday, Victoria's governance and priorities committee - which
includes all council members - will meet to talk about the report and
possible actions ahead of a council vote at a May 12 meeting.

Ms. Helps said Friday that she expected council, on May 12, would
empower staff to implement some measures. "Then there's always room
for refinement as we move forward, but this isn't something we can sit
on," she said.

After that, she said, it would take some time to get bylaw regulations
in place following consultation with the public and
stakeholders.

Ms. Helps also said she wouldn't rule out some version of Vancouver's
new $30,000 licence fee. "My gut says it sounds reasonable. Obviously
Vancouver didn't pick the figure out of the air," she said. In fact,
Vancouver looked at best practices in the states of Washington and
Colorado where marijuana has been legalized.

She also said she might reach out to Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson
to draft a resolution on the dispensary issue for the annual
convention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities in September.
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