Marijuana Dispensary or "Supervised Consumption Site"

[the truth]

How can we charge anyone with anything if we have safe injection sites for illegal drugs . That's so backwards . Promote heroin . Ban pot .

why is that, o ya we can thank big pharma in part for that.

[gatorgold]

Well since Kelowna and West Kelowna as well as Penticton have closed the loophole on the city bylaw that did not specifically say that storefront dispensaries are allowed, then it looks like all these shops are out of business as of NOW, not next week or month from now but right NOW. If they remain open they WILL be SWAT teamed like they just did to Mark and Jody Emery's franchises across Canada a few weeks ago. This was a LOUD & ClEAR message from the government sanctioned Licensed Producers ( LP ) of which these corporate entities look like a who's who of former government agents. Including two former Prime Ministers, Multiple Premiers, all sorts of lower politicians and of course ALL the top cops from the RCMP and including CSIS. All those great folks that tried for years to jail cannabis consumers and eliminate their right to grow. How nice they are now in charge of the rules of the new game and players with BIG salaries. HMmm... so the message they sent by taking down the Emery's is this. We are TOP DOGS, and we DON'T want the dispensaries as competition. So the local dispensaries that just had the loophole officially closed last week had better shut down or face the same as Mark, 15 VERY serious charges that could put him in Jail for life. As Trudeau also said last week, " the law is the law, until we change it ". And Minister Goodall said there will be no retroactive removal of criminal records for even for small amounts of cannabis and the process to get a pardon starts 5 years after your conviction. YIKES? So even bonified licensed medical users, under the newest iteration of the medical program called the ACMPR, does not allow a person to produce for themselves if you have been busted for any drug offense in the last 10 years !! That last statement was never in the previous MMAR, that we with the Allard case were able to preserve for those grandfathered in the MMAR. So back to the dispensaries, I know many will try civil disobedience which worked great in the past, but those days are gone. So beware if you work for a dispensary you will be jailed and have a serious criminal record if you continue. So my prediction is these shops will close because in all likelihood it will 2018-2019, before all legaislation regarding legalization is passed in the House of Commons. This means only one thing, hundreds of thousands of Canadians across Canada will be forced back to the BLACK market, which will rapidly increase the price, but still be lower than the supposed deals of dispensaries. The BLACK market will thrive as the dispensary owners are jailed and bankrupted, plus their employees whom the dispensary owners will no doubt not give a hoot about and leave them to fend for themselves, in the legal system. So how do I know all this, I was the cofounder and Executive Director of the Coalition that hired John Conroy Q.C. to create the Allard case to win back our rights to produce our own clean, non pesticides or fungicide cannabis. I am an expert in the laws and regulation surrounding this area, and know dozens of dispensary owners who are *bleep* their pants right now, as they will be crushed before legalization and storefronts come into force of law. So please if you work for a dispensary quit now, or face the consequences, which I am very saddened to say will be very harsh. God Bless those that led the good fight!!!

[the truth]

Regrettably most Canadians have their head in the sand on this one. I heard a dispensary owner make a very valid point the other day and it goes similar too: The only reason the government is cracking down on dispensary in their current form is to eliminate them from the industry so big pharma can take over, because they will feed the government of the day boat loads of cash to make it so. It that comes to pass, then the under ground market and the crime it creates, will continue

its all about big pharma nothing more ,they are pure evil

[Poindexter]

Regrettably most Canadians have their head in the sand on this one. I heard a dispensary owner make a very valid point the other day and it goes similar too: The only reason the government is cracking down on dispensary in their current form is to eliminate them from the industry so big pharma can take over, because they will feed the government of the day boat loads of cash to make it so. It that comes to pass, then the under ground market and the crime it creates, will continue.

Colorado has found that marajuana customers are very price sensitive and once you pass a certain threshold people go back to buying through private dealers. So if legal marajuana prices itself out of the market through more regulation, and requires pharmacists to dispense, it will be business as usual for the illigal drug trade.

[Tony]

Regrettably most Canadians have their head in the sand on this one. I heard a dispensary owner make a very valid point the other day and it goes similar too: The only reason the government is cracking down on dispensary in their current form is to eliminate them from the industry so big pharma can take over, because they will feed the government of the day boat loads of cash to make it so. It that comes to pass, then the under ground market and the crime it creates, will continue.

Colorado has found that marajuana customers are very price sensitive and once you pass a certain threshold people go back to buying through private dealers. So if legal marajuana prices itself out of the market through more regulation, and requires pharmacists to dispense, it will be business as usual for the illigal drug trade.

It's business as usual for them now. In order to receive medical marijuana, it should come from a regulated grower who is licensed and checked by the Government, the same as butcher houses, liquor distillers or wineries, or any greenhouse is currently. It should then be prescribed by a family doctor or physician. The user could then go to the local pharmacy and get what they need, and it would be covered under any medical plan they have to offset the cost.

For recreational users, if and when it gets legalized for recreational use, then the growing standards should be the same. I can vision grow ops much like the bottle your own wine and beer shops, where you get to grow your own. There would be, once again, a bit of regulation on it the same as there is on liquor right now. Is there going to be people growing it and selling it under the table? You bet, but the penalties for that will be stiffer than they are now, as that would fall under tax evasion, and that is a nasty fight.

[Tony]

Well since Kelowna and West Kelowna as well as Penticton have closed the loophole on the city bylaw that did not specifically say that storefront dispensaries are allowed, then it looks like all these shops are out of business as of NOW, not next week or month from now but right NOW.

You do understand they were shut down because as of today, pot is still an illegal drug. It's like opening a house of ill repute. They're illegal as well, and you will get shut down. Or opening a "we hotwire cars" shop - also illegal. There really isn't a loophole - it's illegal.

[WalterWhite]

last statement was never in the previous MMAR, that we with the Allard case were able to preserve for those grandfathered in the MMAR

Just curious, when you say "we with the Allard case" - were you directly involved in some capacity with that case? You also raise some interesting points - and a couple that are downright frustrating pertaining to the comments regarding situations of people facing possession charges in this complicated situation that's developed. Very disappointed if it's in fact true what you say in that there would be no concern for sentencing reductions taken into account during the interim time until the actual legislation is created and submitted for acceptance. Interesting times still ahead in as much as they haven't changed - however, at the end of the day, it's still not fully legal, and won't be for at least a year or more. Until then, it's the status quo.

[gatorgold]

Just curious, when you say "we with the Allard case" - were you directly involved in some capacity with that case? You also raise some interesting points - and a couple that are downright frustrating pertaining to the comments regarding situations of people facing possession charges in this complicated situation that's developed. Very disappointed if it's in fact true what you say in that there would be no concern for sentencing reductions taken into account during the interim time until the actual legislation is created and submitted for acceptance. Interesting times still ahead in as much as they haven't changed - however, at the end of the day, it's still not fully legal, and won't be for at least a year or more. Until then, it's the status quo.

Yes, I was directly involved as the co founder and executive director of the MMAR Coalition against Repeal. The Coalition in turn hired John Conroy Q.C. to create the Allard case out of 2200 potential applications we had to sort through. I worked directly with John and Kirk Tousaw who is my lawyer. In my opinion they were not the best picks, but Conroy did not want to spend the extra money to bring in better Representative plaintiffs, that were outside BC. So we did the best we could raising over $585,000. Plus Conroy received for indemnification in the Allard case ( costs awarded by Justice Phelan ) to the tune of over $689,000 directly to Conroy ( an almost blank check, lol), and not a dime went back to the donors, which is only one of the many reasons I left, too much corruption. There were many mistakes made by Conroy, if you want to know more detail just ask. In fact Conroy double dipped, kept all the donors money , plus the costs without submitting a single receipt for his and his other lawyers work. Hmm.... let's just say I wouldn't want him to defend me, if I were in a pinch. Sorry to say but here is the CBC article that says no Ralph Goodall Public Health Minister says their will be no general amnesty for minor pot possession charges. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pot-leg ... -1.4072997, plus the Conservatives really screwed the Pardon process making much more difficult to get one. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/marijua ... -1.3377056
So once a criminal always a criminal even for a petty gram of pot, how very shameful, this is. And for those still attempting to work in the dispensary business, please DON'T you will be busted and take the fall for the multimillionaires who usually own them. So don't go into storefront cannabis sales, until it's legal or else. If the Toronto police can cause the Vancouver PD to raid Cannabis Culture for a Toronto investigation, when it has always been a very low priority for VPD ( dispensaries) then they will not think twice the RCMP that is, about busting you here in Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and many other municipalities across BC. Your not even safe in Vancouver where dispensaries are allowed under Vancouver bylaws if you pay a business license fee of $30,000. Yes that right, 30k. A regular business license in Vancouver is $300. Even though the are still illegal federally and ALWAYS have been. Can you say Hilary Clinton, PAY TO PLAY !! All the best....

[Ken7]

I am very much opposed to legalizing marijuana.
1. Personal experience: I saw my brother deteriorate from a talented individual with potential for a magnificent career to a surfer on a sickness benefit experimenting with more potent drugs. All from regular consumption. He now has regular seizures.

2. Cannabis, more precisely the nine cannabinoids have not all been thoroughly analyzed, and because it is a natural product it seems to fly under the regulation radar of Canada Health regulations.

3. We are not listening to medical personnel, police officers, mental health counsellors, psychiatrists, scientists all because the Province is in line to benefit from tax revenue. Organized Crime have the jump on the production, why would they suddenly legitimize their operation and pay taxes? Once a criminal always a criminal, how can the Government be so naive?

We really have become a hoping, coping, doping and shopping society!

Sorry to hear about your brother. Sadly, what you have stated is true. The other issue is there have not been enough medical studies as reality is, how can you study something where a controlled subject matter is none existent?

As a example, when I was being trained in breathalyzer. You were weighed, you were given a prescribed volume of alcohol, you were tested numerous times. It was done in a laboratory by people who are educated in the science. Every aspect including consumption time was controlled nothing was assumed.

Long term effects of cannabis, I'm happy to say 30 years from now likely I won't be here to see how they screwed up. Our society will be notably different and some just are missing it. I too think they are putting the cart before the horse, too many of our politicians recall smoking a joint back when THC was less the 10%. We are no longer speaking of the same drug due to it potency.

[Passion4Truth]

Long term effects of cannabis, I'm happy to say 30 years from now likely I won't be here to see how they screwed up. Our society will be notably different and some just are missing it. I too think they are putting the cart before the horse, too many of our politicians recall smoking a joint back when THC was less the 10%. We are no longer speaking of the same drug due to it potency.

I'm not sure what future "long term effects" you may be referring to when cannabis has been in known use for over ten thousand years.

Although modern day testing does show cannabis to have a higher THC percentage than those tested in the past, there is no way of knowing if untested cannabis in other countries contained even higher THC in the past. As far as suggesting the higher THC rate means we are looking at unforeseen future problems due to the higher potency, that is utter nonsense. Cannabis concentrates such as cannabis oils and hashish with much higher potency rates have been around for hundreds of years.

[Ken7]

I'm not sure what future "long term effects" you may be referring to when cannabis has been in known use for over ten thousand years.

Although modern day testing does show cannabis to have a higher THC percentage than those tested in the past, there is no way of knowing if untested cannabis in other countries contained even higher THC in the past. As far as suggesting the higher THC rate means we are looking at unforeseen future problems due to the higher potency, that is utter nonsense. Cannabis concentrates such as cannabis oils and hashish with much higher potency rates have been around for hundreds of years.

Several factors, one we are getting high concentrations of THC etc in the drug. We are not speaking of the old home grown of the day.

As you may have missed my point, medical or scientific studies have not been completed at length.

To date there is evidence that young people do have long term effects from smoking pot. Give those youth ten years and then get back to how's it going! I think we are missing it and in time we might be sorry.

As for the medical use, I'm all for studying it and using it. As you have stated there are many unknown factors at this time. Again on concentrations, the only way of suggesting that is if a certified laboratory has analyzed the drug. Further scientific studies using controlled subjects and certified drugs, not just what you can buy on the street.

You may very well be right a regulated controlled grown sample may or may not be harmful, we do not know for certain yet is my point.

I don't think the guy on the street knows or cares what is in the drug only that it sells. Therefore are you always smoking just MJ?? There have been documented cases where you are not.

[Passion4Truth]

Yes, more unbiased scientific studies would be beneficial.

I don’t believe fears of unforeseen future problems are warranted, as there has been selective breeding of cannabis for thousands of years and the few years of prohibition has not changed this. Any problems will have shown up by now. IMO, the biggest fear of unknown long term effects would be regarding the synthetic THC and chemical changes made by big pharma in products that are legally sold in a pharmacy.

And yes, I also believe there are problems on the “street”, but prohibition manufactures crime and dangers where none would otherwise exist. Cannabis itself is not the problem there.

[Poindexter]

ken7:
I don't think the guy on the street knows or cares what is in the drug only that it sells. Therefore are you always smoking just MJ?? There have been documented cases where you are not.

Isn't that an argument for regulated dispensaries?

[What_the]

How can we charge anyone with anything if we have safe injection sites for illegal drugs . That's so backwards . Promote heroin . Ban pot .

why is that, o ya we can thank big pharma in part for that.

Oh, so there is responsibility to spread around besides just laying it solely on the user.
Funny, totally contrary to what you usually say.

[Tony]

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton ... -sues-city

So now this guy is suing the city? It says right in the first or second line of the article it's an ILLEGAL DISPENSARY. Wait until Jan and then apply. Mind you, if you sue the City, then you probably won't get a license then either.... just saying.