Pubdate: Mon, 20 Jun 2016
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Dan Fumano
Page: 4

Five Things

VANCOUVERITES' ATTITUDES ON MEDICAL POT

A new poll commissioned by cannabis-advocacy group Sensible B.C. 
provides a snapshot of Vancouverites' attitudes on medical pot, 12 
months after city council adopted rules on dispensaries. The poll was 
conducted this month by Nanos Research, via a random phone survey of 
400 adult residents.

1 Most see pot as safe or safer than alcohol

The Nanos poll found 39 per cent of Vancouverites said medical pot is 
at least somewhat safer than alcohol, while 26 per cent said it is 
"just as safe." Younger respondents, aged 18 to 29, were the most 
likely to view pot as safer than booze, while those over age 60 were 
least likely to agree.

2 Sixty-five per cent don't want it in public

The survey found 65 per cent of Vancouverites are concerned about 
medical-marijuana use in public, with 41 per cent of respondents 
saying they were "concerned" about medical-pot use in public places, 
while 24 per cent said they were "somewhat concerned."

3 Most don't know any users of medical pot

About nine per cent of respondents reported using medical marijuana, 
while just over half (55 per cent) said they didn't know anyone who 
uses it. Meanwhile, only 14 per cent of respondents supported the 
idea of a complete ban on medical-pot dispensaries, saying they 
"should not be allowed anywhere."

4 Pot dispensaries win support from public

Nanos found most respondents support dispensaries selling edibles and 
providing a safe place for users to smoke or vaporize, both of which 
aren't prohibited under Vancouver's current bylaws.

The results show many Vancouverites are dissatisfied with city hall's 
current approach to regulating pot shops, says Dana Larsen, director 
of Sensible B.C., the society that commissioned the Nanos poll.

"Clearly the people of Vancouver don't like this plan," said Larsen, 
who also operates two dispensaries in Vancouver. "Certainly, this 
poll shows that people do not want dispensaries treated so much more 
strictly than liquor stores."

5 Bylaw architect says complaints unfounded

Vancouver Coun. Kerry Jang, the self-described "main architect" of 
the city's dispensary bylaws, said most citizens seem to appreciate 
that the new framework "has struck a good balance."

"The only one complaining about it is Dana Larsen," Jang said. 
"They're the ones who are making it a political issue, but really it 
comes down to the fact they got used to making money, unregulated, 
and now we have regulation in place ... They're just unhappy with the 
fact they're under scrutiny now."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom