Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2017
Source: Simcoe Reformer, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.simcoereformer.ca/letters
Website: http://simcoereformer.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2386
Author: Michael-Allan Marion
Page: A3

SIX NATIONS WILL ENFORCE CANNABIS LAWS

OHSWEKEN - The Six Nations elected council is making clear to
residents on the territory that police will enforce current laws
concerning the possession and sale of cannabis for non-medicinal
purposes until use of the drug is legalized next year.

Meantime, council says it is developing its own policy focusing on
community well-being in preparation for the potential change by Ottawa.

"Today, the possession and sale of cannabis for non-medicinal purposes
is still illegal everywhere across the country," elected Chief Ava
Hill and council said in a statement issued on the council's website
and through social media.

"Storefront operations known as 'dispensaries' are not licensed by
Health Canada and are considered illegal. Until federal legislative
amendments have been enacted to legalize and regulate the use and sale
of cannabis, Six Nations elected council remains of the position that
cannabis is a controlled substance.

"As such, and in the absence of applicable Six Nations laws and
regulations, the elected council considers cannabis subject to the
Controlled Drug and Substances Act. Anyone caught dispensing cannabis
and/or its derivatives, within the territory outside of the current
legislative law, does so at the risk of being subjected to enforcement
by Six Nations police."

Hill was not available for comment Wednesday.

Police already have demonstrated they are prepared to enforce the
current law.

Officers executed a search warrant on April 18 at a store called
Medixinal, on 1147 Highway 54, north of Ohsweken.

"The sole purpose of this business was the illegal sale and
distribution of marijuana and cannabis products," Six Nations police
Chief Glenn Lickers said in a statement issued at the time.

Officers seized a substantial amount of consumable products, such as
cookies, candies, pills and tea bags, all advertised as containing
THC, the active narcotic ingredient, Lickers said. Also seized were
several pounds of marijuana.

Police arrested five people associated with the operation.

A 41-year-old Ohsweken man and a 45-year-old Hamilton man were charged
with trafficking and possession for the purpose of
trafficking.

Also charged with possession for the purposes of trafficking were a
39-year-old Jarvis man, a 36-year-old Hamilton man and a 25-year-old
Ohsweken man.
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MAP posted-by: Matt