Pubdate: Sat, 16 Jan 2016 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.torontosun.com/letter-to-editor Website: http://torontosun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457 Author: Jenny Yuen Page: 3 SNUFF OUT ILLEGAL POT, FEDS TOLD Dispensary Crackdown Urged They're not just blowing smoke. Canada's licensed medical marijuana producers are calling on the federal government to put an end to illegal marijuana dispensaries across the country. The Canadian Medical Cannabis Industry Association, which represents the 27 cannabis producers licensed and inspected by Health Canada, says these dispensaries - 100 in Vancouver and nearly 50 in Toronto alone - have sprouted up aggressively over the past year or so and put public safety in danger. "The situation is getting out of control," the association's executive director, Colette Rivet, said in a statement. "In the past few months, more than 30 dispensaries have opened in Toronto, selling illegal, unregulated marijuana to people, many of whom are not aware that they are breaking the law." Rivet is concerned products sold at dispensaries come from unknown sources without quality control, no guarantee they don't contain contaminants, no product recall system, and no interest "in properly protecting the interests of legitimate medical cannabis patients. "It's time for the federal government to step in and bring clarity to the situation, by clearly explaining the legal status of medical and non-medical cannabis, and stopping the rapid spread of illegal marijuana stores," Rivet said. "The current environment of uncertainty is benefiting criminal organizations, which is counter to the federal government's stated policy of divorcing cannabis production and distribution from criminal elements." B.C. Supreme Court justice Paul Walker ruled earlier this week that operating a marijuana dispensary is illegal, and granted the City of Abbotsford an injunction to shut down a dispensary. A spokesman from the Department of Justice Canada said it would be premature to speculate on what the upcoming legalization of marijuana will look like and until then, existing laws remain in force. "(Dispensaries) sell untested products that may be unsafe and of particular risk to kids," said spokesman Ian McLeod. "They are supplied by illegal growers. These are exactly the concerns that the government's plans will address." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom