More than a month after a search warrant resulted in seizure of a large quantity of marijuana product and one employee being arrested, a Powell River dispensary remains open for business.
On June 9, Powell River RCMP executed a search warrant at a storefront of WeeMedical Dispensary Society, located in the 4400 block of Marine Avenue. Police seized a large quantity of marijuana, edibles and other products from the shop. A 34-year-old male employee was arrested and later released.
Although the shop was initially closed for several days after the raid, the store has been open again since the end of June.
“Our perspective is that they have reopened and they are still breaking the law,” said Powell River detachment staff sergeant Rod Wiebe. “I can’t comment on any ongoing investigations.”
At the time of the raid, police said there was evidence the dispensary was selling to clients who did not have prescriptions from doctors.
The June raid was the second time the dispensary lost its marijuana supply. In the early hours of April 29 thieves smashed the store’s plate glass door and stole an undisclosed amount of product.
Since reopening after the raid, handwritten notes on the store’s door now notify the public that only adults are allowed inside and no product is stored on location overnight.
According to Wiebe, no legal mechanism exists to allow medical cannabis dispensaries to sell to the public, regardless of whether the purchasing individual has a licence to possess marijuana or whether the vendor has a licence to produce it.
City of Powell River councillor Russell Brewer said there has not been any further discussion at council on amending the city’s zoning bylaw to regulate dispensaries.
On May 17, committee of the whole directed staff to prepare and present a report on what other municipalities have done to regulate business locations, hours of operations and other factors. That report from city director of planning Thomas Knight is expected in September.
“Maybe the regulatory regime will change in the interim, who knows?” said Brewer. “It really puts us in an unfair position, forcing us to regulate something we know is going to change in the future and the feds are dragging their feet.”
Regardless of what the city decides to do, the RCMP does not take its direction from council, he said.
“They will do what they see as a priority,” said Brewer.
According to Wiebe, until the federal government changes Canada’s pot laws, police will continue to enforce them.
“We believe that marijuana use and the criminality that surrounds it harms individuals and the community,” said Wiebe. “We are tasked with enforcing the laws of Canada.”
Marijuana is regulated as a controlled substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which prohibits its possession, production and trafficking.
