By Chad Klassen

Medicinal cannabis strategist happy with direction city is going with pot

Apr 18, 2018 | 5:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — As the city officials work to align future retail cannabis dispensaries with liquor stores, which will include a buffer zone between stores and schools, a medicinal cannabis strategist feels the city has done an admirable job trying to transition Kamloops along with the rest of the country come legalization. 

Michael Koehn, who runs CannSolve in Kamloops, says since a public hearing in December city council has been fair in looking at both sides. 

“I saw a council that was focused on the evidence. These are people that have been consulting community groups, focusing on consulting with stakeholders and asking for very specific, evidence-based reason that guides the zoning process,” he said. 

“So right away, we have a public consultation process, we have an evidence-basis. Secondarily to that I think it’s important to recognize the fact that the city has flexibility built into their program. Right way, when we see buffer zones and we see this distance and that distance, listening to the city council, you heard councillors speaking about flexibility, about balance, about good neighbour provisions.”

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The city brought up rezoning of cannabis retail stores to ensure they are not within 150 metres of each other or a local school. A public hearing will take place on May 8, according to Development and Engineering Services director Marvin Kwiatkowski.

Mayor Ken Christian said on Wednesday the rezoning would apply to recreational facilities, while medicinal stores would still be considered illegal under the federal government. 

None of the current dispensaries would not formally speak to CFJC Today, but one owner said she agrees with the proposed buffering zones but is also concerned about potentially having to move from her location and the costs that the business would incur. The owner is also worried about the “good” stores being lumped in with the “bad apples.”
 
Koehn feels it’s important retailers are “good partners” with the city moving ahead. He believes it’s important for the city to give licenses to legitimate operators willing to play by the rules.

“I certainly recognize that there is a need for access in our city for medicinal cannabis and recreational cannabis as well,” said Koehn. “I understand there is a need for that. The big challenge here is that there is no simple, straight forward way to take an old existing business that’s running outside of the law and incorporating that neatly into a brand new model.”