Pubdate: Wed, 14 Dec 2016
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Authors: Katie DeRosa and Bill Cleverley
Page: A2
Referenced: http://mapinc.org/url/spC7LQBu

LEGAL POT URGED FOR 18-PLUS

People age 18 and up should be allowed to legally buy marijuana
through storefronts and mail-order but probably not in the same
locations where alcohol and tobacco are sold, a federal task force is
recommending.

Vancouver Island's cannabis industry is welcoming recommendations from
the task force for legalization of marijuana, but the B.C. government
is urging Ottawa to proceed with caution.

The task force, headed by former federal Liberal cabinet minister Anne
McLellan, recommends allowing dedicated places such as lounges for the
consumption of cannabis products, and calls for restrictions on public
smoking of tobacco products to extend to cannabis.

The proposed regulations were, for the most part, lauded by former
Victoria city councillor Philippe Lucas, now vice-president patient
services and research for Tilray, a producer of medical marijuana in
Nanaimo.

Marijuana production should be regulated by the federal government by
issuing licences, similar to the system used for medical marijuana,
the task force report said.

Lucas said he's pleased to see the task force wants quality control
maintained. "Consumers want to know how their food is grown, they want
to know how their cannabis is produced and they want to be assured
that there's quality and safety standards in place, and that there's
proper labelling in place."

Lucas said he "strongly agreed" with the recommendation to separate
alcohol and marijuana sales. "We don't encourage the co-mingling of
use of these products," he said.

However, he said he disagreed with the recommendation that all
marijuana products should be in "plain packaging" listing only the
company name, strain name, price, potency and warnings. "We really
think that branding will help differentiate high-quality products from
low-quality products available through the legal system and it
provides a better ability to educate consumers."

The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union continues to advocate
for the sale of non-medical marijuana through the province's liquor
distribution and retail system. Union president Stephanie Smith said
government liquor stores are already an age-controlled environment and
staff have a proven track record of checking identification.

Smith said regulating the sale of marijuana will likely fall to the
provinces, as is the case with alcohol. "Setting up a completely new
parallel system would be incredibly burdensome."

Mike Morris, minister of public safety and solicitor general, said his
ministry will review the 80 recommendations through a "public health
and safety lens."

"Our foremost concerns are about keeping cannabis out of the hands of
children and youth, curbing drug-impaired driving and addressing any
implications that legalization may have for our continued efforts to
end gun and gang violence on our streets, which is largely driven by
the illicit drug trade," Morris said in a statement.

The report said production needs to be monitored with a "seed-to-sale
tracking system" to prevent diversions to the black market.

It recommends more study to determine links between THC levels and
traffic crashes while developing a national education strategy to
stress that cannabis consumption causes impairment. The task force
also recommends government support for development of a roadside drug
screening device.

Morris said the "report acknowledges that the road to sound public
policy and a responsible regulatory framework will be long and is best
approached with caution."

The endorsement of cannabis lounges was exciting news for Ashley
Abraham, owner of Victoria's Green Ceiling, which offers space for pot
consumption for $5 an hour.

"It seems they're recognizing the need for consumption spaces,"
Abraham said. "They're not wanting to mix it with alcohol which is
really great for me because that's been my standpoint, that this is an
alternative to the bar scene."

Green Ceiling has been fined seven times for allowing consumption on
site, contrary to the City of Victoria's regulations for cannabis retailers.

Abraham is disputing the fines and hopes that if the recommendations
are adopted by the federal government in the spring, the city will
change its bylaws.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said once the province takes over regulation
of marijuana distribution, the city will likely scrap its cannabis
bylaws. "That way we'll have a comprehensive approach across the
province, not one jurisdiction to one jurisdiction," Helps said. "Our
regulations were meant to fill a vacuum. We were waiting for the
federal government to show leadership."

Trees Dispensary community liaison Alex Robb said he was impressed
with the report and hopes the federal government follows through with
the recommendations. "I think it's a very rational approach. I think
it's what many in the medical cannabis community as well as the
community of cannabis users would like to see," Robb said.

Even though the report recommends production of marijuana for
recreational purposes follow the system in use for medical marijuana,
it urges the federal government to eventually allow "craft" and
outdoor production under strict security.

Robb said opening the door to smaller craft producers makes sense and
"is a nod to the British Columbia cannabis industry."

"Ultimately, it's the same product. People who want it recreationally,
they want the same quality as people who want it medically," Robb said.

- - With The Canadian Press

[sidebar]

City of Victoria pot bylaws

City of Victoria staff say 24 of the estimated 39 marijuana-related
businesses in the city have applied for rezoning.

Under city policies, business licences will not be issued until
rezoning has been approved. In the interim, a cannabis retailer may
operate while taking steps toward rezoning, but is expected to come
into compliance with business licensing requirements, which include:
no cannabis consumption on premises, operating hours restricted
between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., and a maximum of two display signs without
images.

Marijuana retailers are also expected to meet strict security and
ventilation requirements. No one younger than 19 is permitted on site.

A city spokesperson says the focus has been on gaining compliance from
the dispensaries since the regulations came into effect. All have
received letters advising them of the regulations and how they will be
enforced.

Eight tickets have been have been issued, including seven for
consumption on premises - all to Green Ceiling - and one for operating
outside of permitted hours.

- - Bill Cleverley
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt