Pamela McColl's attempt to shut down Vancouver dispensaries fails

[Mr. Ambien]

Police board dismisses complaint about pot-shop enforcement

Vancouver's police board has unanimously rejected a prominent advocate's complaint that the city's police department was failing to enforce the law against marijuana dispensaries.

Pamela McColl of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana Canada had accused the department of not doing its duty “to maintain law and order” by not shutting down all pot shops in the city.

But deputy chief Doug LePard delivered a report to the board Thursday that stated criminal laws are less effective than municipal bylaws at closing illegal businesses.

The VPD must respect the City of Vancouver's decision not to use its bylaw powers to shut down dispensaries and instead create a regulatory framework, he said.

“We don't operate in a vacuum. We have to consider the circumstances that we operate in,” LePard told the board.

“We have the greatest of respect for policy decisions that the democratically elected council has decided on, and we will work in that environment.”

The police board, chaired by Mayor Gregor Robertson, voted unanimously to dismiss McColl's complaint after less than 10 minutes of discussion.

The city recently became the first in Canada to regulate its 100 marijuana dispensaries, requiring owners to undergo criminal record checks and pay a $30,000 licence fee.

LePard said police held discussions with the city about how to deal with the proliferation of dispensaries in 2013, when there were 27 pot shops.

The city decided not to use its bylaws to shut down the stores - most of which were operating without a business licence - and instead work on setting up a regulatory framework, he said.

LePard said the VPD must use its limited resources to deal with more serious drug offences and dispensaries that are suspected of selling to youth or involved with organized crime.

Police have executed 11 search warrants at pot shops and recommended multiple charges since 2013.

But LePard noted these actions have been generally unsuccessful at closing the dispensaries. Some stores re-opened shortly after raids, and search warrants were executed three times at one location.

He said he's hopeful the new regulations will be effective, as they will allow the city to take action against dispensaries that don't meet its criteria, including being located too close to schools.

Selling marijuana over the counter is illegal in Canada, and last week Health Canada sent cease-and-desist letters to 13 pot stores warning of RCMP raids if they don't close.

Chief Adam Palmer said he had spoken to RCMP about the letters. He said Mounties have legal authority anywhere in Canada, but in practice they don't interfere with local police.

“I don't believe in any sense of the word you're going to see the RCMP come marching into Vancouver,” he said outside the meeting.

“Vancouver police will deal with Vancouver issues and the RCMP will deal with the issues in their territory.”

City staff are processing 176 licensing applications for marijuana dispensaries. Robertson said outside the meeting that it could be months before it's clear how many will be approved.

“I'm sure it'll be a much lower number than the number that have applied,” he said.

McColl said she was disappointed but not surprised by the police board's decision. She said she doesn't believe the new regulations will root out dispensaries that are selling to youth or involved with organized crime.

“These guys are going to proliferate, they're going to sell their dope and they're going to do whatever they want to do because that's what they're all about,” she said.

“They don't believe in law and order, and they have shown that.”

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/police-board-dismisses-complaint-about-pot-shop-enforcement-1.2569087

I can only wonder what her explanation will be when weed is legal.

I hope she gives a new spiel about law and order.

[nowhereman]

It's a plant. That makes people lethargic and hungry for junk food. Just. Get. Over. It.

This woman, obviously, has nothing better to do with her time.

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

It's a plant. That makes people lethargic and hungry for junk food. Just. Get. Over. It.

This woman, obviously, has nothing better to do with her time.

Not if it is a sativa :D Keeps you wide a wake and focused for those crazy gaming nights

[Armada]

It's a plant. That makes people lethargic and hungry for junk food. Just. Get. Over. It.

This woman, obviously, has nothing better to do with her time.

She's probably a virgin.

[Mr. Ambien]

Not if it is a sativa :D Keeps you wide a wake and focused for those crazy gaming nights

Any doctors in Calgary that would prescribe this for ADHD?

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

Any doctors in Calgary that would prescribe this for ADHD?

You would be surprised Ambien. A close friend suffers from migraines and only gets relief from herb. He received a prescription, took him a while but he got it and is feeling loads better.

[etsen3]

Dispensaries are a joke in terms of keeping weed in the hands of people who need it and keeping it out of the hands who don't.

That said, just legalize it already, it shouldn't even matter whether you need it or not.

[Mustapha]

Dispensaries are a joke in terms of keeping weed in the hands of people who need it and keeping it out of the hands who don't.

That said, just legalize it already, it shouldn't even matter whether you need it or not.

Amen to that.

It's really sad when the certain US states are ahead of Canada in the legalization process....I thought Canadians were more progressive.

[DeNiro]

[Mr. Ambien]

Amen to that.

It's really sad when the certain US states are ahead of Canada in the legalization process....I thought Canadians were more progressive.

Your choice for legalization is either wait for de facto legalization to turn into legalization..

Or elect someone whose priority beyond the economy and more important things is weed.

[DeNiro]

Your choice for legalization is either wait for de facto legalization to turn into legalization..

Or elect someone whose priority beyond the economy and more important things is weed.

Nobodies priority is to legalize weed, it's a strategy aimed to get young voters out to vote who's only priority in life is to smoke weed.

The only problem is most of these voters will probably forget what day to vote.

[Mr. Ambien]

Nobodies priority is to legalize weed, it's a strategy aimed to get young voters out to vote who's only priority in life is to smoke weed.

The only problem is most of these voters will probably forget what day to vote.

Wow, really, it's not like figuring out the day to vote is hard. It's April 20th, idiots.

[DonLever]

So what happens if the stores start to sell cocaine? That is illegal too.

[Mr. Ambien]

So what happens if the stores start to sell cocaine?

Vote Trudeau.

Then snort some.

"You know what I used to have for breakfast?.."

[Blackberries]

Not if it is a sativa :D Keeps you wide a wake and focused for those crazy gaming nights

This chart is right except for the anti anxiety thing on the sativa side.

As someone who works at a licensed producer, we do not recommend high thc sativas with people with preexisting anxiety problems...

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

This chart is right except for the anti anxiety thing on the sativa side.

As someone who works at a licensed producer, we do not recommend high thc sativas with people with preexisting anxiety problems...

Fully agree.

[Bocivus]

I still don't understand why people have to beg for permission (vote and hope they are allowed) from the elite (masters) to use a natural plant however they see fit. It still boggles the mind how people will be put in a cage, or worse, for smoking/possessing a plant. A fracking PLANT. It's absolutely absurd. Especially since it IS, as Dirty Dangles shared, being used as a medicine/remedy. Ole' Big Pharm doesn't like that idea, but that'd be another thread....

[CanadianLoonie]

I still don't understand why people have to beg for permission (vote and hope they are allowed) from the elite (masters) to use a natural plant however they see fit. It still boggles the mind how people will be put in a cage, or worse, for smoking/possessing a plant. A fracking PLANT. It's absolutely absurd. Especially since it IS, as Dirty Dangles shared, being used as a medicine/remedy. Ole' Big Pharm doesn't like that idea, but that'd be another thread....

Part of the government's welfare program for the praetorian class of police, customs, corrections, and other related agencies in the law enforcement complex...

[ice orca]

Amen to that.

It's really sad when the certain US states are ahead of Canada in the legalization process....I thought Canadians were more progressive.

The individual states have constitutional rights that the individual provinces don't have. The states will fight the US fed tooth and nail for those rights and generally win, the individual provinces are almost powerless to our federal jackboot up here.

[grandmaster]

I heard they can have the medical benefits of this while having the THC removed. Doesn't that solve the issue here?