Marijuana will be legal in less than 10 months, yet in the meantime, pot shops are being stripped of their license to sell.

Several municipalities in the Okanagan are cracking down on medical marijuana dispensaries by cancelling their business licenses.

In Vernon, existing business licenses were not renewed earlier this year, and now West Kelowna is pulling licenses.

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That香蕉视频直播檚 left stores such as Black Crow Herbal Solutions wondering, 香蕉视频直播渨hy now?香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t doesn香蕉视频直播檛 make any sense to me because I香蕉视频直播檝e been operating now for three years,香蕉视频直播� said Robert Jaenicke, a director of Black Crow, which has a shop in Vernon and West Kelowna.

But the fact that such stores are selling an illegal product, and now without a business license, doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean they will be closing their doors.

香蕉视频直播淯nfortunately the municipality is not the one that governs the rules,香蕉视频直播� explains Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund.

It香蕉视频直播檚 the RCMP that would normally be responsible for these illegal businesses selling, what are still illegal, drugs.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 pretty sure they香蕉视频直播檝e been told across the country to leave it alone,香蕉视频直播� suggests Mund. 香蕉视频直播淥therwise they香蕉视频直播檇 be cracking down.香蕉视频直播�

Since no one has come crashing into either of his Okanagan shops, Jaenicke figures the same.

香蕉视频直播淭he RCMP has taken a hands-off approach,香蕉视频直播� said Jaenicke, as the police aren香蕉视频直播檛 getting much support from crown counsel. 香蕉视频直播淚f people are operating responsibly it looks to me like they香蕉视频直播檙e going to leave it alone. They香蕉视频直播檙e not wasting time and money going after us when no harm is being done.香蕉视频直播�

So when asked why bother revoking these business licenses now, Mayor Mund said it was because they initially applied as compassionate health and wellness clubs. And now that the city is aware of what is being sold, the licenses have not been renewed.

The same goes for West Kelowna, where Black Crow and the Healing Company asked council to defer its decision until the provincial government had announced its distribution plan for the legalization of marijuana.

The federal government has said it will be legalizing marijuana July 1, 2018.

But Mund points out that the provinces will have until July 1, 2019 to make their rules. And Ontario has plans to sell pot through the Liquor Control Board, which he suggests could be the case Canada-wide.

香蕉视频直播淚 think what you香蕉视频直播檒l see all across Canada will run the same,香蕉视频直播� said Mund, who attended the cannabis seminar at UBCM where panellists said B.C. would probably follow Ontario香蕉视频直播檚 lead. 香蕉视频直播淚t has to be the same, otherwise it won香蕉视频直播檛 work.香蕉视频直播�

But what municipalities can do is set up some regulations, such as not having such pot shops within 500 metres of a school, or within each other pot shops, or certain areas of town.

And that香蕉视频直播檚 exactly what Jaenicke suggests, as the influx of pot shops on almost every corner isn香蕉视频直播檛 good for his business either.

香蕉视频直播淭here were three or four of us in town who actually went through the process of talking to the city,香蕉视频直播� said Jaenicke, who has been running the store in Vernon for three-and-a-half years now.

Now that there are at least half a dozen in town, Vernon, and other municipalities are getting anxious.

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香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 just crazy,香蕉视频直播� said Jaenicke of the growth in pot shop storefronts. 香蕉视频直播淣ow the city is rightfully upset.香蕉视频直播�

Meanwhile UBCO researchers are urging policy makers not to alter a cannabis distribution system that香蕉视频直播攚hile not legal yet香蕉视频直播攚orks well.

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Associate professor Zach Walsh, who teaches psychology at UBC香蕉视频直播檚 Okanagan campus, and PhD candidate Rielle Capler, recently published a study on medicinal cannabis dispensaries and determined customers prefer the independent storefront as opposed to growing their own, or getting it from a dealer. Their research suggests that when recreational marijuana use becomes legal in 2018, the current system of dispensaries should remain.

Capler calls the current method a 香蕉视频直播榥atural experiment香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 been underway for decades and says law makers should this keep in mind when addressing regulation policies.

香蕉视频直播淒ispensaries are not new and they provide a proven, valuable service,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲hile some are thought of as a nuisance, in reality many of these dispensaries are small, independent, long-standing businesses who serve a dedicated clientele.香蕉视频直播�

Mund would not state his position on marijuana, but did say: 香蕉视频直播淒o I believe it will have issues? Yes. Do I believe it will be the same incidence as alcohol? No. Alcohol causes a lot more death and a lot more issues than marijuana does.香蕉视频直播�

jennifer@vernonmorningstar.com
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