Campbell River RCMP announced yesterday they have raided a second medical cannabis dispensary in the town.
Media relations officer Cst. Sara Clark said the raid on WeeMedical Dispensary’s Campbell River location was a result of an ongoing investigation led by the street crime unit and that no charges have been laid.
“Drugs believed to be marijuana were seized, as well paperwork and cash from that location,” Clark wrote, in a press release. “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.”
WeeMedical Campbell River manager Joel Wilson said authorities detained a volunteer worker for about two hours before being released with no charges while they took cash and products from the shop.
“They took, basically, all the dry weed and the oils, the phoenix tears, they even took, which blows my mind, the lip balm some of the rubs and the bath salts,” said Wilson. “All the edibles are left and the edibles have a lot more THC than lip balm. It’s pretty incredible I don’t know if they know which is which any more.”
The RCMP action comes exactly a week after Trees Dispensary, the only other shop in the town, was also raided by authorities.
Earlier this week, Campbell River City Council gave second reading to a bylaw change that would restrict any cannabis operation in the town that wasn’t approved by Health Canada – effectively making cannabis businesses illegal in the town.
“At a council meeting that they did behind closed doors they did first and second reading without even asking the public opinion and they said ‘no we’re not doing dispensaries.’” said Wilson.
Wilson said he doesn’t think the Council in Campbell River is especially anti-cannabis, he just believes they don’t have all the information they need about regulating dispensaries.
“The mayor himself said ‘the world is changing we’re going to have to adapt to what it is until it becomes legal, and then well make a bylaw,'” said Wilson. “I do think is they don’t know what to do right away. I don’t put anything bad on them, they need to figure out how they regulate this, this is new to our council.”
A public consultation on the bylaw changes has been scheduled for Apr. 25 and Wilson said he’ll have over 100 people looking to speak at the meeting in what he hopes will prevent future action from the RCMP.
“I know they’re just doing their job, but we all know the law needs to be changed and we’re just standing up and having all of our patients saying ‘this is what needs to happen,’” Wilson said.
WeeMedical plans to open again to patients tomorrow and has also released a petition that it hopes will show public support for the dispensary.