Saskatoon's illegal pot shops put on notice by police
With legal stores on the way, future of illegal operations up in the air
Mark Tynan and Wendy Fox have been warned. Now they're waiting for a written notice from police.
Tynan, general manager of Up Wellness, and Fox, owner of Best Buds Society on 33rd Street, have both had visits from police at their marijuana dispensaries in the last few weeks.
"Two weeks ago we started hearing about these visits happening at the last of the remaining shops. They came to us at the end of that day," said Tynan, adding "the police officer was really nice."
"They said we would receive an official letter."
The letter hasn't come. Tynan said he is trying not to worry about his business being raided or shut down. He has lost a handful of staff since the in-person notice.
He said he'll comply if the police come back, as he's not interested in going to jail.
He travelled home to Saskatoon after years living in Colorado and British Columbia and travelling for his music career.
"I came here to push the movement forward and help people in need in my hometown," he said.
'There's a more professional approach'
Wendy Fox says she has never smoked marijuana, but believes in its medicinal benefits.
"If I would've had access to this when my dad was sick I think he might've had a different outcome and maybe would've been able to survive his cancer," said the retired nurse, now the owner of Best Buds on 33rd.
When her elderly mother was having knee pain, Fox decided to experiment with THC ointment. She was skeptical.
"I said 'I'm going to watch you stand up and ambulate.' So she did! She took three steps and spun on her bad knee!"
She worries she won't be able to help people like her mother anymore. She said if the police come back with a written notice she'll close up shop, or at least get rid of the THC products in her possession.
"So we may continue on here with possibly police coming in and re-examining the property, as an opportunity for people to come in and get their prescriptions. I do consultations as well."
She's not ready to go to jail or face charges.
"There's a more professional approach," she said
"My hopes and dreams would be to work with city police, city council, to help create a harm reduction program for the city."
Fox, like Tynan, says much of her customer base is made up of people with serious addictions to various drugs. They use marijuana to attempt to manage those addictions.
While Fox believes in helping people in her neighbourhood, she has been afraid to pursue a partnership with police or the city, or even enter into talks about it.
License denied
They placed 17 applications in various cities and towns near Saskatoon, including Martensville, Warman, Estevan, Rosetown, and Weyburn.
"Of the 17 applications only three went forward and not one of them were in my name," she said.
"Fourteen were disqualified based on not meeting the financial capacity. I find that alarming and upsetting because each and every one of those documents were penned the same."
Since legal avenues are no longer available to Fox, she plans to continue on at her 33rd Street storefront as long as she can.
Saskatoon police say the illegal cannabis outlets in the city are aware what they are doing is illegal, and maintain their response is resource-driven, as it has been for the last several months leading up to marijuana legalisation.
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