By Greg Fry/ James Peters

Kamloops pot shop owner ‘in the dark’ on business applications

Sep 20, 2018 | 11:21 AM

KAMLOOPS — As the federal government gets ready to legalize recreational cannabis on Oct. 17, a Kamloops medical dispensary owner is “feeling in the dark” about his chances of obtaining a business licence.

Chuck McCarthy owns Weeds Glass and Gifts on the North Shore and says he has his application in, but adds he’s concerned.

“We didn’t get zoned. My store did not make the Kamloops zoning. I’m trying my best to stay here and get rezoned. We’re going to have to see how everything plays out because nobody knows what’s happening, nobody has a clue.”

McCarthy says he has no idea whether his application for a business license will be successful.

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“All we know is we just put in our applications. What’s getting to me is nobody knows anything. It’s all kept in the dark; nobody knows anything. We’re just going along with what we’re told. We’re putting in a licensing (application) and hoping for the best,” said McCarthy.

And if he doesn’t obtain his licence, he wonders where that would leave his customers in search of medicinal product.

“What’s going to happen to them? There’s so many people dependent on their medicine.”

McCarthy also questions why Kamloops is the first city in B.C. to get a government-run cannabis operation.

“I don’t know why Kamloops was the first. Why didn’t they put it in Vancouver where people do the recreational stuff?”