WeeMedical, a Campbell River medical marijuana dispensary raided by police last Thursday, is back open for business this week – with more limited stock.
“We’re just sticking with the edibles at the moment and we’re going to get through this and we’re wanting to stay,” said Joel Wilson, one of the partners in WeeMedical which opened its doors on April 1. “So we’re going to be going through and working with the council and the police and we’ve got to look at all the other towns that are going through this.
“It’s either get rid of all of them (marijuana dispensaries) completely or start figuring out bylaws.”
The Campbell River RCMP Street Crime unit executed a search warrant on the marijuana dispensary in the 800 block of 13th Ave. at noon April 14. Police said the search warrant stemmed from an ongoing investigation led by the street crime unit. Drugs believed to be marijuana were seized, as well paperwork and cash at that location, RCMP said.
“Campbell River RCMP is committed to ensuring local businesses are abiding by federal and provincial law, and will continue to investigate any businesses believed not to be following these laws,” said Const. Sara Clark, Media Relations officer for the Campbell River RCMP.
The investigation is ongoing and at this time no charges have been laid, Clark said.
Wilson said he wasn’t at the store when it was raided but one of his volunteers were. That person was detained and later released by the police.
This was the second dispensary that was raided in a week. Trees Dispensary was raided by the Campbell River RCMP on April 6.
It came after city council made moves at its Monday, April 11 meeting to make the dispensaries illegal in Campbell River.
It sets up what could be a raucus bylaw hearing on April 25 when council will hear public input into a bylaw amendment that prohibits all marijuana operations unless they are legally permitted through Health Canada and have the proper paperwork to prove it. Council gave first and second reading to the bylaw which triggers a public hearing. The hearing will likely take place at the start of the April 25 council meeting and the public is invited to speak to the amendment.
And it appears a lot of the public will be here. WeeMedical is encouraging its clientele to attend.
“We’re having a lot of people showing up for the hearing on April 25 at 6 p.m. People have been signing up non-stop for that and they’re wanting to speak,” Wilson said.
In addition, “cannibas activist” Amanada Orem said that a number of Island-based organizations plan to attend the hearing.
“The cannabis community is quite upset with these raids,” she told the Mirror.