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Concern over pot closures

Seniors in Vancouver are concerned about where they’ll turn for their medicinal marijuana once the city shuts down more than 100 unlicensed dispensaries.

The City of Vancouver gave the pot shops until Friday to close down, but Loretta Milne, a senior who uses marijuana to treat her migraines and chronic insomnia, is worried about what that will mean for her.

“Getting a full night’s sleep is like a miracle, and it majorly improves my life,” Milne told CTV News.

Milne gets her marijuana from True Natural Healing Society on West Broadway, one of the many Vancouver dispensaries that was refused a license.

“I’m worried that it’s going to be more difficult once this place and many places close,” Milne said.

True Natural Healing Society says about 25 per cent of its clients are over 65 years old and two-thirds are at least 40.

Peter Ormesher, a man in his late 50s who uses medical marijuana for his knee pain, doesn’t understand why the city would take action now, as the federal government makes moves to legalize the plant.

“I think it’s going to be a bit of a waste of time, quite frankly,” he said.

Despite the federal government’s plans, the City of Vancouver says Friday’s deadline is firm, and shops who defy the order will face enforcement.  

“This is what they wanted. They wanted to be treated like any other business, so that’s what we gave them,” Coun. Kerry Jang said this week.

Enforcement actions can include fines, starting at $250 per bylaw infraction, and even forcible closures.

The City of Vancouver says 162 of the 176 applications for marijuana business licences failed, most due to a rule prohibiting dispensaries from operating within 300 metres of each other, or of schools, community centres and youth facilities.

- With files from CTV News



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