Council seeks input on medical pot rules

By ROY WOOD

The town of Oliver took its first tentative steps Monday to prepare for a day, not far in the future, when legal medical marijuana dispensaries are a common part of the landscape.

Following a delegation asking council to move forward with regulatory and zoning provisions to allow medical pot outlets, council admitted it doesn’t have enough knowledge to move forward in the area.

“I’ve got a zillion questions,” said Mayor Ron Hovanes.

Bruce Grant, a former owner of the very briefly open Star Buds medical marijuana dispensary in Osoyoos, warned council that failure to act would result in an increase in the black market sales of marijuana and an influx of irresponsible “fly-by-night” businesses.

Star Buds was open briefly in June, but was shut down under a town “Do Not Occupy” order.

Osoyoos council subsequently moved forward with a bylaw that bans any retail sales of marijuana pending clarification of the federal government’s regulations on medical pot sales.

In suggesting that Oliver town staff provide council with information so it can make informed decisions, Councillor Petra Veitimilla told council, “Change is in the air. We have the chance to be ahead of the ball.”

Town staff will gather information from other jurisdictions with more experience in dealing with medical marijuana and its dispensing.

Time is drawing short for the town and its council to be up to speed on the issue.

The federal Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulation (MMPR) came into effect in 2013 but was subsequently repealed in 2014.
A court process has continued and a decision from Health Canada is expected this summer and it may include a provision to allow medical marijuana dispensaries.