Local pot shops are gearing up to apply for licences making them legal marijuana retailers in the wake of a provincial announcement Monday that will allow legalized cannabis to be sold in both government-run and private stores.
Michael Wuest, owner of the Weeds marijuana store on Marine Drive in North Vancouver, said he is happy to see that private stores will still be allowed under the province’s new retail marijuana regulations.
“Definitely we were happy to see that,” he said. “We’re just excited to see this moving forward. Hopefully we’ll be there when the smoke clears.”
Those who want to open legal marijuana stores will still have a number of hoops to jump through. Local governments will still control where – and even if – cannabis stores are allowed to open in their communities. In order to be granted a provincial licence, store owners will have to have the support of local government and undergo a police background check. Pot shops will have to buy their marijuana from a provincial government wholesaler, which will buy from licensed producers. Stores will also be banned from selling marijuana and alcohol together, from selling marijuana edibles and from selling marijuana online. Online marijuana sales will be conducted only by the government.
District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton said the provincial regulations make a lot of sense to him. District council hasn’t yet had a discussion about where pot shops may be allowed to set up in the district, but Walton anticipates having that discussion soon.
“I don’t have any ethical issue against marijuana,” he said, but added the public needs to have input into where they would be prepared to see pot shops open – similar to alcohol sales.
“We do need to test the waters a little bit,” he said.
Two pot shops previously opened up in the district in contravention of local bylaws, which took them to court to get the shops shut down.
The City of North Vancouver council will also be discussing new municipal regulations in light of this week’s provincial announcement.
“Council’s on record as saying we’re not going to prohibit it,” said City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto.
Mussatto said the city will have the option of controlling the number of weed shops in the city, as well as where they can set up.
“We want to have regulations and rules in place by the time it’s legal,” he said.
Currently there are five shops operating illegally.
When recreational marijuana becomes legal this summer, Mussatto said all pot shops will have to be licenced by the province, or face possible enforcement action, “up to and including court.”
In making the announcement Monday, solicitor general Mike Farnworth said preventing impaired driving, keeping marijuana away from kids and keeping criminals out of the business were all important goals for B.C. The first legal public and private marijuana stores are expected to be in business by the end of the summer this year, said Farnworth.
Under the regulations, adults will be allowed to buy and possess up to 30 grams of marijuana.
Marijuana smoking and vaping will not be allowed in public areas where children are present, including beaches and playgrounds. It will also be banned in vehicles.
The province will also come up with a system of handing out 90-day administrative driving bans for anyone caught driving while impaired by marijuana.
Wuest said while he welcomes moves to legalize marijuana he questions rules that will ban edible products. “Where do capsules and tinctures fall in?” he asked. “I think there’s a lot of people who just don’t like to smoke.”
Wuest said he’s also hoping the rules will allow for smaller “craft” marijuana growers to provide cannabis for retail – not just large licensed producers.
Farnworth said Monday it’s very possible the laws will “evolve” over time. “It’s a lot easier to loosen things over time . . . rather than trying to close the barn door after the horses are out.”
