Port Alberni passes dispensary bylaw

Medical marijuana dispensaries are officially allowed within the City of Port Alberni—at least as far as the municipal government is concerned.

The votes remained the same as they have since the issue was first raised after WeeMedical opened its doors at the end October 2015 despite the public hearing preceding the council meeting. Mayor Mike Ruttan and Coun. Denis Sauve voted against regulating dispensaries and the other five councillors voted for regulations.

Over 40 people had packed council chambers earlier on Monday evening to voice their opinions—and the speaker’s list was split 9-8 for and against.

“Does council have the right to make these regulations?” asked Neil Anderson.

“Why are we doing this? We’ve got the cart ahead of the horse. It’s ass-backwards,” said new resident Fred Mann.

“Under the current law of the country of Canada, is what we’re doing here legal?”

“Under the current federal law, medical marijuana storefront dispensaries are not legal,” said city planner Scott Smith.

Local realtor Chuck Beyer spoke out in favour of regulations.

“What are the opportunity costs of not licencing these places? If you go a couple blocks from here and these stores are not open, the demand will simply be met by residential homes,” said Beyer.

“The police can’t possibly take care of it anymore... and politicians don’t lead, they follow. They stick their finger up in the air and they see which way the wind is blowing.”

Aaron Brevick, who owns a dispensary on Athol Street, raised concerns over privacy regulations.

“I’m not a big fan of the open glass storefront policy that’s being mandated. I believe that people should have the choice of privacy,” said Brevick. He wasn’t the only one to raise that concern

Lee Green from Nanaimo said that due to the current stigma on medical marijuana usage, people are embarrassed to buy it and deserve their privacy. Green suggested a frosted glass storefront instead of a clear one.

At the regular council meeting later on Monday night, council voted to approve zoning bylaw regulations as follow:

• dispensaries are allowed in general, service, highway commercial and core business zones

• dispensaries are not permitted within 1000 m of each other or 300 m of schools

• dispensaries must be dispensaries only—no shared use

• no ATMS

Approved business bylaw regulation include:

• all dispensaries, even non-profits require a $220 business licence

• store fronts must be transparent

• no minors

• signage to indicate product is unregulated

• an understanding that city bylaws do not mean compliance with senior government laws

Fines of $100-150 per day can be levied if the above requirements aren’t met, Smith said.

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c ray said:

http://www.albernivalleynews.com/news/367148591.html

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kDude said:

is it a victory?
on paper it looks great: legislated MMJ
when you read it; they must be 1KM from any other dispensary, and there's 4 within a few blocks.
..i don't know how many dispensaries they have in port alberni (google search came up empty) ..but we know atleast 3 will close/be forced to move now.

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VIANARCHRIS said:

Port Alberni doesn't need more than 1 maybe 2 dispensaries to support the population imo...it's a small town. My parents live there and I go there often and I wasn't aware there was more than one...

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kDude said:

well then the others will fold anyway, wont they ..so let them.
if they all survive; obviously more than 1 or 2 were needed.

i don't like the restrictive pick and chose BS (same reason i never got a script though i could easily have)
who's gonna be the one left out of those 4? likely the one with the deepest pockets/most connections, not necessarily the best one.

as i've said many times; this is the most entrepreneurial current product/industry.. and they're trying to put restrictions on it everywhere ya turn.
seems to me they do not want a lowly peon working hard and rising up from the bottom to success.. they want big marijuana.

i know it can't be a wild west, and we'll have rules and stuff.. but let the folks who want to try this legit try it, is my opinion.. many will fail, but good ones will succeed.. a much better outcome than just greedy elites getting the industry handed to them.

i say let the cream rise and the crap sink.. don't just hand the industry over to the crap. (but we know which way government will want to go)

i want an open fair market; where to do good at it, you must be good at it.. not just have sole control of the market.

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