When it comes to Canada’s new medical marijuana regulations, it’s business as usual for New Westminster police.
With only weeks remaining before new federal medical marijuana production regulations take effect, the New Westminster Police Department issued a statement on Friday reaffirming the department will continue to enforce the city’s bylaw against marijuana dispensaries.
Under the new regulations, which take effect on April 1, only companies licensed by Health Canada will be permitted to produce and distribute medical marijuana.
There are currently 10 licensed producers in Canada, while several more companies are waiting for approval. The new regulations move the production of medical marijuana from homes and backyards to full-scale industrial production facilities.
In light of the upcoming change in regulations, the New Westminster Police Department issued a statement saying the department will continue to police dispensaries in the city.
Medical marijuana dispensaries are illegal in New Westminster and are not issued a business licence, which allows police to shut them down for a variety of reasons, according to a media release.
Not only can police shut down dispensaries for lack of a business licence, officers can also arrest individuals who work in the facilities for possession of marijuana for purposes of trafficking.
Last May, New Westminster police executed a search warrant at a dispensary on 12th Street and arrested three Vancouver residents. While charges were never laid against the individuals, police seized an undisclosed amount of cash and marijuana from the dispensary and the shop closed its doors shortly after the incident.
According to police, officers won’t be actively looking for dispensaries that may crop up in the city, but the department will “take action if the public is at risk by its operation or if information is received that marijuana is being dispensed without a legitimate prescription from a doctor,” the release explained.
“The New Westminster Police Department takes complaints by the public very seriously,” said Chief Const. Dave Jones in the release. “Many times, we are guided by our public, and although we are not actively seeking out the dispensaries, if members of the public report any issues, we will take action which will include criminal enforcement.”
The Vancouver Police Department recently told media its officers wouldn’t be enforcing the new Health Canada regulations when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries so long as they are only selling to individuals who hold a permit to use medical marijuana.
The Vancouver Police Department says it is aware of at least 29 illegal medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.
– With files from the Vancouver Sun
