Pubdate: Fri, 12 Aug 2016
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Page: 28
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: Maryam Shah

POT SHOP BACK IN BIZ

Cannabis Culture Reopens Day After Cop Raid

Less than 24 hours after police raided Cannabis Culture in 
Leslieville, the marijuana shop that openly sells weed to anyone over 
age 19 reopened its doors.

Jodie Emery, who owns the Cannabis Culture brand, said she flew in 
from the West Coast to help reopen the shop, which is operated by 
another person.

"We strive to keep minimal stock on site, so we make sure that 
there's not a huge amount to be seized," she said. "But it's absurd 
that these police raids continue to happen even though these 
businesses continue to open."

Toronto Police raided three marijuana dispensaries Wednesday: 
Cannabis Culture, which is housed inside an old bank at Queen St. and 
Broadview Ave.; The Green Room on Mount Pleasant Rd., north of 
Davisville Ave.; and The Healing Centre at Dundas and Dufferin Sts.

Nine people face drug trafficking-related charges, including two 
Cannabis Culture employees who were out on bail following a raid 
earlier this summer at another branch of the store.

Toronto Police spokesman Mark Pugash wouldn't comment on the 
reopening of Cannabis Culture's east-end location.

"It remains against the law for these dispensaries (to operate) and 
we will continue to enforce the law," Pugash said.

He stressed that health concerns raised by Chief Mark Saunders about 
weed sold in stores haven't been taken seriously.

He cited a July investigation by The Globe and Mail, which tested 
some samples of marijuana and found that one-third of them wouldn't 
pass standards set by Health Canada.

That story prompted the Toronto Dispensaries Coalition to call on 
Health Canada for a "harm reduction approach to cannabis testing."

Emery pointed out that growers hide their methods and gardens because 
of the threat of arrest, and that prohibition is the "cause of any 
problems with cannabis quality."

Cannabis should be tested the same way as fruits and vegetables, she said.

"The growers and wholesalers should be responsible for quality 
control, not the retail stores," Emery added.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom