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.
害羞草研究所淭he federal government has set 18 as the bottom line,害羞草研究所� Liberal leader Christy Clark said during the News1130 radio debate. 害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 get liquor till you害羞草研究所檙e 19, for heaven害羞草研究所檚 sake let害羞草研究所檚 at least put it at 19.害羞草研究所�
Clark has spoken out against selling pot in liquor stores.
害羞草研究所淪hould it be co-located to liquor stores? I don害羞草研究所檛 think so,害羞草研究所� said Clark. 害羞草研究所淣o one does that in the United States and you don害羞草研究所檛 want these two intoxicants sitting beside each other on the shelf.害羞草研究所�
The BC Liberal leader drew criticism from BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver for not being better prepared.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e thought about this for years while the premier has stood by and done nothing,害羞草研究所� 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 Gordon害羞草研究所檚 view, marijuana will likely be sold in separate stores.
害羞草研究所淚 think marijuana stores are the likely route,害羞草研究所� said Gordon. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙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.害羞草研究所�
Gordon doesn害羞草研究所檛 see an issue in continuing current dispensaries, which currently operate illegally despite cities like Vancouver, Victoria and Port Alberni choosing to licence them.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 perfectly doable and safely so,害羞草研究所� said Gordon. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e got our neighbours to the south as a model.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e talked to pharmacies, I害羞草研究所檝e talked to distributors of other drugs in the community, I害羞草研究所檝e talked to dispensaries and I害羞草研究所檝e also talked to the liquor distribution folks to see what is the best way to proceed,害羞草研究所� Horgan said. 害羞草研究所淚 would suggest it害羞草研究所檚 probably going to be a mix.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l see that continue to a certain point or move openly into greenhouses,害羞草研究所� he said, pointing to post-secondary institutions such as Kwantlen Polytechnic University, which already has a course on medicinal growing. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not going to be fields of waving cannabis.害羞草研究所�
Weaver is concerned that Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 proposed bill will concentrate the profit from legalization with large corporations.
害羞草研究所淲e view the craft cannabis industry in a manner that害羞草研究所檚 identical to the craft beer industry,害羞草研究所� said Weaver.
SFU professor Neil Boyd believes that Clark害羞草研究所檚 approach, rather than selling in liquor stores, will be the one taken regardless of who ends up in power on May 9.
害羞草研究所淚 think the NDP has suggested that the liquor store approach is what they would follow,害羞草研究所� said Boyd. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a bit surprising because in every other jurisdiction we have seen a store distinct from a liquor store.害羞草研究所�
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