Pubdate: Tue, 26 Apr 2016
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Black Press
Contact:  http://www.pqbnews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: John Harding

IN THE WEEDS

It seems a harmless, wink-wink, nudge-nudge situation where the law 
really doesn't mean much because it's going to change soon.

Or is it harmless?

To say the regulation of marijuana, including how it is dispensed to 
the public, is in limbo is a gross understatement.

The federal government announced last week - on 4/20 no less - that 
it will have legislation ready in a year to legalize marijuana.

"We will introduce legislation in spring 2017 that ensures we keep 
marijuana out of the hands of children and profits out of the hands 
of criminals," federal Health Minister Jane Philpott said at the 
United Nations. "We will work with law enforcement partners to 
encourage appropriate and proportionate criminal justice measures. We 
know it is impossible to arrest our way out of this problem."

The health minister's comments touched on most of the the important 
issues related to loosening the laws around marijuana. Keep it away 
from children. Check. Don't create a law that benefits criminals and 
gangs. Check. Work with law enforcement. Check.

The last part is a sticky one. Police officers are duty-bound to 
enforce the laws contained in the Criminal Code of Canada. Oceanside 
RCMP Staff Sgt. Brian Hunter, with Parksville Mayor Marc Lefebvre in 
full agreement, has been very black-and-white on this issue. Their 
take? It's still a controlled substance and the dispensaries are 
selling illegal goods.

Hunter has been promoted to Inspector and will take over the Port 
Alberni detachment soon as its officer in charge (see story in 
today's paper and more in Thursday's paper), a city where there is a 
dispensary law and a pot shop has been granted a business licence. 
That could make for an interesting first year in Port for Hunter.

Thing is, Hunter isn't alone in this pickle for law enforcement. 
What's disturbing is the inconsistency in the way the issue is being 
handled by different detachments and police forces. Some (certainly 
not all) Campbell River and Nanaimo dispensaries have been shut down 
after raids by police. There are 30 in Victoria currently operating, 
minus the raids.

Some people need marijuana for medicinal purposes. Medical doctors 
wouldn't prescribe weed if that wasn't true. But where are they 
supposed to get it? Why is the law being enforced differently in 
different jurisdictions?

One thing is certain: until the spring of 2017, there will be 
confusion, angst and arrests.

- - Editorial by John Harding
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom