Campbell River’s WeeMedical marijuana dispensary held a support rally at its Willow Point location as the city pursues an injunction to close the operation down as early as this Saturday.
“The City of Campbell River put an injunction on us. They stopped the fines and said they wanted us out,” WeeMedical manager Joel Wilson told a gathering of supporters today.
Wilson is calling on supporters to provide testimonials in support of the operation which dispenses medical marijuana products. Wilson says WeeMedical has 4,000 members in a town of 35,000.
“We need to be here for people,” Wilson said. “It’s civil disobedience is what we’re doiong. We need to change the law.”
In May of last year, the City of Campbell River adopted a bylaw amendment prohibiting all marijuana operations – including dispensaries – unless they are legally permitted through Health Canada.
The WeeMedical operation was raided by the RCMP last year and had many of its products confiscated.
Medical marijuana dispensaries have opened up in communities across Canada in anticipation of changing legislation despite the retail sale of cannabis currently being illegal in Canada.
Kevin Brooks, the city’s development services supervisor, said back in May that because that extends to all oils and edibles derived from cannabis, it is illegal for dispensaries to be distributing such products unless they have approval from Health Canada. Brooks said that means the city can’t legally accommodate medical marijuana dispensaries until the law changes.