By Bryn Levy

Kimberley mayor talks about city’s marijuana dispensary experience

Nov 2, 2015 | 5:28 PM

In Saskatoon, police and the courts are dealing with the city’s first medical marijuana dispensary following araid last Thursday. But the city of Kimberley, B.C. is having a markedly different experience.

Mayor Don McCormack said he learned a lot as Kimberley city council hashed out whether to grant their dispensary a business license. He said he was surprised to find out that the bulk of the customers being served are from the baby boomer set.

“The vast majority – like 75 or 80 per cent of the clients – are all 50 to 60 to 80 years old,” he said.

Overall, he said there’s been little to no pushback after council’s decision to give the dispensary the go-ahead.

“The community has felt that we have made a progressive decision on an issue that is long overdue for resolution and I think we’re pretty proud of council for taking a stand on this,” he said. `

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McCormack acknowledged that dispensaries’ legal status is murky at best. With that in mind, he said he’d still like to see Ottawa step up to the plate on marijuana laws.

“It will need to have some legislative changes to control the market in place and the federal government is going to have to get on top of that, but I believe it’s going to happen and it’s going to happen soon.

Even though RCMP handle policing in Kimberley, McCormack said the dispensary issue in B.C. is effectively dead as far as law enforcement is concerned.

“The reason why this grey area has existed for the last 15 years is because there have been relatively few, if any, convictions. Law enforcement doesn’t like that type of scenario. When they go in and arrest somebody, or take action on a business or an individual, they like to know that there will be a high probability of success,” he said.

blevy@ckom.com
On Twitter: @BrynLevy

by Bryn Levy

Kimberley mayor talks about city’s marijuana dispensary experience

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