WATCH: A full house at Vancouver City Hall Wednesday to hear how the city wants to regulate its booming medical marijuana industry. Jeremy Hunka reports
More than 200 people packed Vancouver City Hall Wednesday night to discuss new regulations to control the growth of illegal pot shops, which have gone from fewer than 20 to nearly 100 in the past three years.
More than 160 speakers signed up to address Mayor Gregor Robertson and city councillors.
“I think we knew there would be a lot of interest in this,” said City Manager Penny Ballem. “This is unprecedented in the country. Vancouver stepped out to take this on and try and bring this retail area into a regulatory framework and it’s never been done.”
The regulations would include a new business licence category, a $30,000 fee and a requirement that stores be 300 metres away from schools, community centres and each other.
Supporters say the time to regulate the industry is now.
“I support them because a regulatory approach to marijuana–whether it’s used for recreational or medical reasons–is the best way to minimize the harms associated with its use,” said Dr. Patricia Daly of Vancouver Coastal Health.
But the shops are illegal and critics say regulation only legitimizes criminal behaviour.
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Pam McColl of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Canada went so far as to boycott the meeting.
“Why would I go and support the process when I think they’re breaking the law, because I think what they’ve just done is the idea of conspiring to violate federal law,” she said.
Dispensary owners are split on the proposed regulations, with some complaining the hefty fee and location requirements will put them out of business, while others support the rules as a step toward legalization.
On Thursday the City of Vancouver released a statement saying, the Federal Government’s ban on the possession of edible marijuana products by those holding medical authorizations for the use of medical marijuana to be unconstitutional. City staff and Dr. Daly have recommended to council that all edible products, with the exception of oils, be banned from medical marijuana stores.
It’s a debate that won’t end any time soon. The public hearings could stretch for days before a vote can even be considered.
-with files from Jeremy Hunka and Canadian Press
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