Close down illegal pot shops, or leave them alone?
KAMLOOPS — Cities and towns across B.C. — including Kamloops — will need the wisdom of Solomon to deal with illegal pot stores in the run-up to a change in federal laws next year.
Until July 1, 2018, the sale of recreational marijuana is illegal, but so is the unlicensed sale of medical marijuana. The impending legalization of recreational cannabis has encouraged the proliferation of medical marijuana shops.
Pick a city and do an online search for cannabis dispensaries and you’ll quickly see the extent of the challenge. There are more than a half dozen such storefronts in Kamloops.
B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth has announced that the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch will handle wholesale distribution of legalized weed, and that retail sales will be done through both private and public channels, but it’s still all very foggy.