A Vancouver city panel has voted to reinstate the business licence of a magic mushroom dispensary.
Advocate Dana Larsen runs three mushroom dispensaries. Last year, the city’s chief licence inspector suspended the licence of his West Broadway location, noting it only allowed the store to sell gifts and novelties.
But two Green Party councillors, Pete Fry and Adriane Carr, argued there isn’t a clear licence category for the business to apply to. They also argued magic mushrooms have clear harm-reduction benefits.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim condemned the decision.
“We are extremely disappointed in the decision made by councillors Fry and Carr to use their role at a Business Licence Hearing to engage in activism on matters beyond the jurisdiction of the City of Vancouver and not endorsed by council direction,” Sim said in a statement posted on social media.
“The sale of psilocybin products is not permitted by (the) federal government. While we acknowledge the significance of this national conversation, we firmly believe that this discussion should take place at the federal level, rather than at a city business licence hearing.”
Sim said all business licence holders in Vancouver need to adhere to both federal and provincial laws.
Fry responded to Sim’s comments on his social media.
“No. Our rational for rejecting (the) ‘gross misconduct’ claim was based on the evidence presented,” he said.
“The ‘activism’ comes next week when we introduce a motion to have staff report back on a regulatory framework for psychedelics, similar to the medical marijuana framework Vancouver led with in 2015.”