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Vernon  

Let's talk about pot


The sale of cannabis will soon become legal in just a few months, and for many cities, the discussion is heating up. 

The City of Vernon will give the public a chance to share their thoughts on the topic at a public hearing today. 

"There has to be a limit to where and how many cannabis dispensaries there are around town," said Coun. Scott Anderson. "We are waiting for the province to make its decision on the distribution system." 

Many cities don't want to put any bylaws in place until the provincial government gives more guidance. 

"Depending on what model they go with that's certainly going to impact things if they use the alcohol distribution system exclusively then that renders the entire debate," Anderson said. 

There is no point in the City of Vernon putting resources into developing a bylaw at this point, according to Anderson. 

"If we are going to legalize marijuana for recreational use, the private sector should be the primary driver of it in terms of distribution and sourcing," he said. "That's a large complexity to the issue but I don't think that we are best served by the government being the sole distributor grower."  

The City of Vernon has mixed feelings about the legalization of marijuana and what bylaws they want to be put in place. 

"It [government run cannabis sale] takes the job opportunities of a lot of people that are in it right now, off the table," he added. 

The public hearing will be held at the City Hall on Monday at 5:30 p.m. 



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