The current situation around the legality and enforcement of marijuana needs to be shuffled into Ottawa’s action this day file, alongside the economy and assisted dying.
The interim leader of the Conservatives, Rona Ambrose, demonstrated how confusing this issue has become. Ambrose on CKNW, said the Liberal governments must “take it slow” when moving on legalizing marijuana; but she then said that she wants the government to move quickly to regulate pot dispensaries.
Disepensaries maintain they are legal and will stay open but the RCMP seem to disagree.
Until the federal government clarifies the decriminalization or legality of marijuana, who can sell it and where — or says this is for municipalities to regulate — cities would be wise to wait to create a new bylaw.
We have a situation where medicinal marijuana is legal, and firms are following the letter of the law. But the interpretation of that law, which has seen marijuana storefronts open up in every city, needs to be clarified for everbody’s sake.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said in November that the government is “proceeding in a concerted way” and she will have more to say in coming weeks and months. Wilson-Raybould needs to say something and soon, other than that they are “proceeding in a concerted way.” She has to give some direction to cities, dispensaries and police agencies.
The debate about the use of marijuana, medicinal and otherwise, has been swept to the side by this confusion over dispensaries. We need to refocus the debate and this can only happen once the government frames new legislation. Doing that must become a priority in Ottawa.
— Black Press