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The clock is now ticking on the life of the first and only medical pot dispensary in the Tri-Cities.
Following a marathon public hearing Monday night, Coquitlam city council voted unanimously to ban unlicensed marijuana dispensaries in the city and pass regulations on the location of federally licensed grow-ops.
However, council agreed to write a letter asking the federal government to establish the regulatory framework for the production and dispensing of medical marijuana.
Council was forced to grapple with the issue after the Coquitlam Natural Path Society, which runs a medical marijuana dispensary, opened up in the Maillardville area in June.
The society's founder and president, Christopher MacLeod, said he was shocked by council's decision to essentially shut him down.
"I want to stay within the law," he said. "Right now I'm shell-shocked, I don't know what my options are."
MacLeod said he understands the difficult position the city was put in because of the vagueness of the marijuana dispensary laws, but contends council made the wrong decision.
"They're [council] here to help the community, and we needed it," he said, adding the decision will force the society's members to get their medication off the streets.
"I'm sure the crack shack two blocks over is really happy about this, because now they can go back to selling marijuana to the people who live locally."
MacLeod said he'll need to talk to the board of the society before deciding the next step, but he was planning to remove all illegal products from the shop that evening.
He does hope the letter from city council will help force Health Canada, which regulates medical marijuana, to change the current rules.
The decision to prohibit the dispensary appeared to be a difficult one for the majority of city council.
Coun. Mae Reid argued the city is between "a rock and a hard place," but ultimately had to support the bylaw because it can't condone illegal activity.
Coun. Selina Robinson blamed the federal government for putting the city in a position to make a decision on the dispensary.
She said she's willing to advocate bringing legitimacy to the operation, but needed to make a decision that's best for the community.
"I find it difficult to turn a blind eye," Robinson said, adding she could support a pot dispensary if the regulatory framework was in place.
She also countered the society's argument the closure of the shop will create a hardship on clients who will be forced to travel to Vancouver to fill their prescription, noting as a cancer patient, she needs to travel to Vancouver to get special medication, which isn't unusual.
Mayor Richard Stewart, who suffers from long-standing back problems, suggested the drugs he's been prescribed over the years are far more harmful than marijuana, but added the debate on that issue is for another day.
Though he applauded the intentions of the society and MacLeod, the mayor reluctantly voted in favour of the bylaw, maintaining it's the right decision for city council.
During the public hearing portion of the debate, which lasted nearly two hours, several residents spoke for and against the dispensary and the locations of potential legal grow-ops.
Linda Mackintosh, a Maillardville resident, said she was opposed to having a grow-op in her neighbourhood, citing concerns over health issues, crime and the effect on property values.
"A lot of people put money into improving their homes," she said. "If there is a known grow-op close in our community, I'm sure that it will be much more difficult to sell them."
Maillardville Residents' Association president Al Boire said his group opposes the pot dispensary in the area, arguing the shop is in clear violation of the law.
"Marijuana medical dispensaries cannot be exceptions to the law," he said.
However, a handful of supporters of the dispensary spoke about the benefits of medical marijuana in treating their various ailments, and urged council to keep the dispensary open.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: theprovince.com
Author: Jeremy Deutsch
Contact: Contact Us - The Province
Website: Coquitlam city council reluctantly bans medical marijuana dispensary
Following a marathon public hearing Monday night, Coquitlam city council voted unanimously to ban unlicensed marijuana dispensaries in the city and pass regulations on the location of federally licensed grow-ops.
However, council agreed to write a letter asking the federal government to establish the regulatory framework for the production and dispensing of medical marijuana.
Council was forced to grapple with the issue after the Coquitlam Natural Path Society, which runs a medical marijuana dispensary, opened up in the Maillardville area in June.
The society's founder and president, Christopher MacLeod, said he was shocked by council's decision to essentially shut him down.
"I want to stay within the law," he said. "Right now I'm shell-shocked, I don't know what my options are."
MacLeod said he understands the difficult position the city was put in because of the vagueness of the marijuana dispensary laws, but contends council made the wrong decision.
"They're [council] here to help the community, and we needed it," he said, adding the decision will force the society's members to get their medication off the streets.
"I'm sure the crack shack two blocks over is really happy about this, because now they can go back to selling marijuana to the people who live locally."
MacLeod said he'll need to talk to the board of the society before deciding the next step, but he was planning to remove all illegal products from the shop that evening.
He does hope the letter from city council will help force Health Canada, which regulates medical marijuana, to change the current rules.
The decision to prohibit the dispensary appeared to be a difficult one for the majority of city council.
Coun. Mae Reid argued the city is between "a rock and a hard place," but ultimately had to support the bylaw because it can't condone illegal activity.
Coun. Selina Robinson blamed the federal government for putting the city in a position to make a decision on the dispensary.
She said she's willing to advocate bringing legitimacy to the operation, but needed to make a decision that's best for the community.
"I find it difficult to turn a blind eye," Robinson said, adding she could support a pot dispensary if the regulatory framework was in place.
She also countered the society's argument the closure of the shop will create a hardship on clients who will be forced to travel to Vancouver to fill their prescription, noting as a cancer patient, she needs to travel to Vancouver to get special medication, which isn't unusual.
Mayor Richard Stewart, who suffers from long-standing back problems, suggested the drugs he's been prescribed over the years are far more harmful than marijuana, but added the debate on that issue is for another day.
Though he applauded the intentions of the society and MacLeod, the mayor reluctantly voted in favour of the bylaw, maintaining it's the right decision for city council.
During the public hearing portion of the debate, which lasted nearly two hours, several residents spoke for and against the dispensary and the locations of potential legal grow-ops.
Linda Mackintosh, a Maillardville resident, said she was opposed to having a grow-op in her neighbourhood, citing concerns over health issues, crime and the effect on property values.
"A lot of people put money into improving their homes," she said. "If there is a known grow-op close in our community, I'm sure that it will be much more difficult to sell them."
Maillardville Residents' Association president Al Boire said his group opposes the pot dispensary in the area, arguing the shop is in clear violation of the law.
"Marijuana medical dispensaries cannot be exceptions to the law," he said.
However, a handful of supporters of the dispensary spoke about the benefits of medical marijuana in treating their various ailments, and urged council to keep the dispensary open.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: theprovince.com
Author: Jeremy Deutsch
Contact: Contact Us - The Province
Website: Coquitlam city council reluctantly bans medical marijuana dispensary
