Penticton considers marijuana dispensary regulations

Penticton City Council has agreed to start a discussion about regulating medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

The issue came up during Tuesday's council meeting when the operator of a dispensary, whose business licence was suspended, had his licence revoked.

While council agreed to take away the licence, there was broad agreement the issue wasn't going away.

"I am strongly supportive of asking our staff to come forward with methods of regulation that we can put in place so this issue will have parameters," Coun. Judy Sentes said.

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"The problem isn't going anywhere, the problem is right here," Coun. Tarik Sayeed said. "We need to find a way to regulate it and help the businesses help the medical patients."

Council agreed to begin a discussion about regulating medical marijuana dispensaries within 60 days.

Vancouver councillor applauds move

Vancouver Coun. Kerry Jang expressed surprise when he heard the news, but applauded Penticton council on starting the discussion.

"I think it's great. I think this is the way to go. At the end of the day it's going to be up to municipalities and cities to regulate storefront marijuana," Jang told Radio West host Audrey McKinnon.

Vancouver has a business licence scheme and bylaw regime for medical marijuana sales which includes a $30,000 licence fee, restrictions on location, and a ban on the sale of edible goods.

"It was sort of the idea that it was here," he said. "Vancouver and certainly a lot of places in British Columbia believe there is a place for medical marijuana in our society."

Jang says Penticton council should make sure their public policy goals are in alignment as they begin this process.

He also said moving forward on the issue probably won't be easy.

"You're going to have a whole range of folks mad at you, whether they're marijuana activists, to patients, to the everyday Joe worried about his kids."

With files from Radio West and Josh Pagé

To hear the full story, click the audio labelled: 'The problem isn't going anywhere': Penticton considering marijuana dispensary regulations