If someone had told us a decade ago that municipalities like New Westminster would be trying to figure out where and how to fit medical marijuana companies into their planning manuals today - well, we would have told them they must be smoking something. But, as reported on the front page today, city staff and politicians are well on their way to figuring out exactly where and how medical pot facilities fit into city plans and how to make it all work.
As of April 1, the old federal marijuana medical access regulations under Health Canada are changing. Currently, private citizens are allowed to produce medical pot for personal use on a limited scale. The new rules move the production out of backyards and residential areas and into large-scale manufacturing facilities. This is mostly good. New Westminster, as other cities are, is working out the kinks in the system.
The arguments over the worth of medical marijuana are largely over, and its value is now recognized. Granted, city Coun. Betty McIntosh, as a registered nurse, raises valid questions about how medical pot is distributed. She would have preferred that pharmacists be involved. But that is unlikely to happen.
Will we hear about users who may abuse the new system and service? Yes, we're sure there'll be instances and stories about folks misusing the service. There were in the current system, there will be in any system.
As in most things, there will be people who try to take advantage of loopholes and profit on other people's needs.
But this is a much-needed step forward - one that will help folks manage pain and other ailments.
For now, many of the new companies are smaller start-ups with local owners. Let's hope it stays that way.
