Pubdate: Tue, 11 Aug 2015
Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Vancouver 24 hrs.
Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/letters
Website: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837
Author: Michael Mui
Page: 3

POT ACTIVISTS PROTEST DISPENSARY RULES

A small group of marijuana supporters rallied outside Vancouver City
Hall on Monday as the deadline approaches for applications to the
city's new regime of pot dispensaries.

Darcy Delainey, owner of Erbachay Health Centre on Granville Street,
knows his storefront is still too close to a nearby school. There are
also multiple dispensaries near his location - which the new
regulations will prohibit - but Delainey feels it's still worth a shot
to apply.

The official deadline is Aug. 21.

"We're the only (dispensary) with a highway between us - everybody
else is actually closer to the school," he said.

"Granville is a six-lane road and it's an elementary (school) not even
in visibility of us. When we called the principal to ask them if they
had any concerns about us, they said I didn't even know you guys were
there, you have zero impact on our students and our school." Neil
Magnuson, one of the rally organizers, said he's heard from some
dispensaries that they will not close their doors even if the city
rejects their application. "I do know many of them are scrambling to
try to get as much money in the door as they can so they can have the
$30,000 (licence fee)," he said. Mark Boyer, with the Marijuana Party,
said he would be approaching dispensaries and compassion clubs with
the intention of setting up party offices at their location, and
suggested doing so would have the effect of nullifying the city's bylaw.

"The law is very clear, the city government cannot interfere with the
federal government especially when we're trying to get elected," he
said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt