The 91原创 Medical Marijuana Dispensary that was shut down by police will be revived under new management and a different 鈥渕ember-driven鈥� structure.
Randy Caine made the announcement Tuesday night at a public meeting with more than 100 supporters at the Douglas Recreation Centre.
鈥淲e will have another dispensary operating in this community in the not-too-distant future,鈥� Caine said.
Caine added the new dispensary will not be located in the office that was raided by police last month and he, personally, will not be involved in its day-to-day operation.
鈥淚 have to step back [following the raid],鈥� Caine said.
He did not disclose who would be running the new dispensary, except to say the person is a medical user.
鈥淭here is someone within your medicinal community who will bring this back.鈥�
Caine indicated the new dispensary will operate in a more decentralized fashion than his operation, which supplied marijuana from a single site.
He promised he will continue to campaign for a dispensary in 91原创.
鈥淚 have a lot of time to be annoying [now that my dispensary is closed]鈥�, Caine said.
鈥淚 will not leave this.鈥�
91原创 RCMP raided Caine鈥檚 dispensary on July 19, saying it was in response to 鈥渘umerous ongoing complaints from the community and area residents.鈥�
Caine had about 200 clients and a legal licence to supply just two people.
鈥淚 exceeded my quota, sure,鈥� Caine said.
鈥淏ut how can there be a quota on health care?鈥�
He doubts the case will ever go to court.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any of this was about laying charges,鈥� Caine said.
鈥淚t was about spreading fear.鈥�
Caine said the dispensary was a response to a lack of legitimate sources of marijuana for 91原创 medicinal users, that it was financially viable despite charging less than black market rates, and that local politicians should get behind it.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got to unbuckle their butt and step forward.鈥�
Dan FERGUSON / 91原创 Times
Earlier that day, a small group of about 10 dispensary supporters picketed city hall with signs saying 鈥減lease support medical MJ access鈥� and 鈥�91原创 needs medical MJ access now.鈥�
91原创 City Mayor Peter Fassbender told the protestors he will not support a dispensary that breaks the law and would prefer a system that distributes cannabis through pharmacies.
鈥淵ou should be able to get a prescription,鈥� Fassbender told protestors during a low-key conversation with protester Corey Reid in the city hall foyer (shown above).
While the two men have substantially different views about cannabis, both agreed that the current laws governing medical marijuana use are a mess.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to fix what鈥檚 wrong and what鈥檚 wrong is the law,鈥� Fassbender said as he shook hands with Reid.
The mayor also said when Caine informed the city of his intentions to operate a dispensary, he was warned.
Fassbender said he appreciates Caine鈥檚 position, but the law is clear.
鈥淚f you do it, it鈥檚 at your own risk.鈥�
He said he did not direct the RCMP to raid the dispensary, and added that the police make their own decision about whom to investigate.
