Third in a series of Black Press B.C. election coverage leading up to May 9
None of B.C. main political parties have unveiled firm plans for how marijuana will be regulated despite Ottawa proposing legalization by Canada Day 2018.
The BC Liberals have long said that their main focus is keeping marijuana out of the hands of minors.
B次元官网网址淭he federal government has set 18 as the bottom line,B次元官网网址� Liberal leader Christy Clark said during the B次元官网网址1130 radio debate. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 get liquor till youB次元官网网址檙e 19, for heavenB次元官网网址檚 sake letB次元官网网址檚 at least put it at 19.B次元官网网址�
Clark has spoken out against selling pot in liquor stores.
B次元官网网址淪hould it be co-located to liquor stores? I donB次元官网网址檛 think so,B次元官网网址� said Clark. B次元官网网址淣o one does that in the United States and you donB次元官网网址檛 want these two intoxicants sitting beside each other on the shelf.B次元官网网址�
The BC Liberal leader drew criticism from BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver for not being better prepared.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e thought about this for years while the premier has stood by and done nothing,B次元官网网址� he said.
Clark said that the BC Liberals will consult experts before deciding how it will be distributed.
The proposed federal law leaves impaired driving enforcement and distribution up to the provinces. A legalization task force released a report in December that recommended storefront distribution as an option, but warned against selling in liquor stores.
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In SFU professor Robert GordonB次元官网网址檚 view, marijuana will likely be sold in separate stores.
B次元官网网址淚 think marijuana stores are the likely route,B次元官网网址� said Gordon. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e aware of the need to regulate the access to the stuff on the part of adolescents and having a good taxation payment system in place.B次元官网网址�
Gordon doesnB次元官网网址檛 see an issue in continuing current dispensaries, which currently operate illegally despite cities like Vancouver, Victoria and Port Alberni choosing to licence them.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 perfectly doable and safely so,B次元官网网址� said Gordon. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e got our neighbours to the south as a model.B次元官网网址�
In the U.S., recreational marijuana is legal in Alaska, Washington State, California, Oregon, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada.
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In 2016, Horgan sent NDP MLAs Mike Farnworth and Carole James south of the border to speak with Washington State and Oregon officials on how different distribution channels were performing.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e talked to pharmacies, IB次元官网网址檝e talked to distributors of other drugs in the community, IB次元官网网址檝e talked to dispensaries and IB次元官网网址檝e also talked to the liquor distribution folks to see what is the best way to proceed,B次元官网网址� Horgan said. B次元官网网址淚 would suggest itB次元官网网址檚 probably going to be a mix.B次元官网网址�
Although the proposed federal legislation allows for up to four metre-high plants at home, Gordon sees most marijuana production switching to larger-scale production.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see that continue to a certain point or move openly into greenhouses,B次元官网网址� he said, pointing to post-secondary institutions such as Kwantlen Polytechnic University, which already has a course on medicinal growing. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not going to be fields of waving cannabis.B次元官网网址�
Weaver is concerned that OttawaB次元官网网址檚 proposed bill will concentrate the profit from legalization with large corporations.
B次元官网网址淲e view the craft cannabis industry in a manner thatB次元官网网址檚 identical to the craft beer industry,B次元官网网址� said Weaver.
SFU professor Neil Boyd believes that ClarkB次元官网网址檚 approach, rather than selling in liquor stores, will be the one taken regardless of who ends up in power on May 9.
B次元官网网址淚 think the NDP has suggested that the liquor store approach is what they would follow,B次元官网网址� said Boyd. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a bit surprising because in every other jurisdiction we have seen a store distinct from a liquor store.B次元官网网址�
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