Pubdate: Sat, 09 May 2015
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bill Cleverley
Page: A1

CITY PUSHING TO REGULATE POT SHOPS

Victoria to follow Vancouver's lead in bid to control stores, rather
than close them

Victoria will follow Vancouver's lead and attempt to create new
regulations to better control marijuana stores rather than using
existing business licensing provisions in an attempt to shut them down.

"I think this proposal seems to balance concern in the community but
also the fact that thousands of our residents consume marijuana either
for medical or recreational reasons and that's kind of the new
normal," said Coun. Ben Isitt.

Mayor Lisa Helps said there are four reasons she supports the
regulatory approach Victoria council has agreed to adopt: * Police are
not opposed to the approach. * It offers better control over who can
enter the shops, which is especially important since marijuana use by
youth can cause significant challenges such as early-onset
schizophrenia. * Provision can be made for non-profits that have been
providing medical marijuana for years to continue doing so. *
Vancouver is showing leadership and lessons learned there can be used
here.

Coun. Geoff Young was opposed. He said the laws surrounding the sale
and use of marijuana are evolving. "I don't want to say one form of
selling marijuana is fine and another isn't. I think those things have
to be clarified through the court process and the process of political
change, if necessary."

In the past year, the capital region has seen an explosion of
marijuana-related businesses. Victoria municipal staff say the city
has 18 marijuana businesses, including ones that sell drug
paraphernalia and provide medical advice or consultations on use of
medical marijuana.

Coun. Marianne Alto said she didn't want to interfere with the
operations of compassion clubs, which have been operating successfully
for years.

"On the West Coast, we came to the understanding of the utility of
marijuana and cannabis as a medicinal product years ago. Whether you
agree with that or not, our community has been using it in that manner
for decades and doing so successfully in quiet, unobtrusive, fair
ways, providing extraordinary relief for individuals in extremely
difficult circumstances," Alto said.

"At no time, in no way, do I wish us to have a negative impact on the
ongoing capacity of those individuals to provide compassionate care."

Victoria staff had recommended that rather than wait for a complaint,
bylaw officers should investigate the sector and force operators to
comply with business-licence regulations or face ticketing and/or
suspension or revocation of licences.

Council chose instead to pattern its approach after Vancouver, which
hopes to create a new business-licence category, charge a $30,000 fee
and ban pot shops from certain areas. It would require them to be 300
metres away from schools, community centres and each other in the hope
of ensuring public safety while providing access to medical marijuana.

Victoria staff say the city could potentially impose additional
requirements on medical marijuana businesses, such as specific
business fees; regulations for signs and advertising; regulations
regarding minors, record keeping and security; and limits on hours of
operation, noise and littering.

Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose has made it clear that marijuana
stores are illegal and will remain so under her government. Under
existing federal regulations, people wanting medical marijuana can
legally receive it only in the mail from a producer licensed by Health
Canada.

But Isitt said there could well be a different federal government by
the time new city bylaws are available.
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MAP posted-by: Matt