Dear Editor:
As a director for Re-Leaf Dispensary, I can say our society and our patients were deeply disappointed by the District of North Vancouver's knee-jerk reaction to outright ban medicinal dispensaries in their boundaries.
All the supporters and evidence presented to them would not have made a difference to their position of enacting their uncompassionate bylaw.
Knowing how much support we have, residents can truly have their say in the November civic elections, and I encourage people to do so.
The federal answer to fixing all of this is a new set of proposed regulations that strip away the rights of the patient and reduce access, not the other way around.
The real answer is already in place: the network of compassion clubs and dispensaries that exist across the country to continue to fulfill patients needs. The relationships these places have within their respective communities shows this is a no-brainer, but Harper's people just don't get it - or they would rather see their big business buddies getting into the business.
There is no problem right now with the way most people get their medicine, other than the government labels both us and them as criminals.
How sad.
Brandon Parker, vice-president, Re-Leaf Dispensary Society Formerly North Vancouver