CANNABIS CLUB SOCIETY TO MEET WITH MAYOR

The non-profit society that opened a medicinal marijuana dispensary
in Maple Ridge this week will meet with the mayor.

Michael Joinson, director of The Always Growing Green Society, said a
sit-down with Ernie Daykin has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Joinson will be joined by Dana Larsen, a founding member of the
Marijuana Party of Canada and B.C. Marijuana Party, and Jacob Hunter,
policy director with the End Prohibition Foundation.

"We are going to explain to him how the dispensary works, who we
serve, our rules and regulations," Joinson said.

The Taggs Medical Cannabis Dispensary, operated by the newly-formed
non-profit society, opened suddenly in the district's downtown core
Monday to serve patients who use medical marijuana to treat illness
ranging from epilepsy, glaucoma, severe pain from multiple sclerosis,
spinal cord injury or spinal cord disease, as well as pain, weight
loss and nausea from cancer or HIV/AIDS infection.

All members of the dispensary must have documentation from Health
Canada or a registered physician to use its services.

Taggs sells a variety of strains of cannabis, as well as other
cannabis products, such as baked goods and other edibles, extracts,
oils, tinctures, capsules, and sprays.

Joinson said smoking marijuana is not allowed in the house or around
the property, located in a renovated rancher on 224th Street past
North Avenue. Patients will lose their membership if they are caught
smoking within those boundaries.

Taggs was visited Tuesday by bylaw officials and police, who were
looking to learn about the dispensary. But Joinson did not allow them inside.

"They told me what I am doing is not right. They were going to talk
to Vancouver police to see how dispensaries are allowed to run there," he said.

Taggs is the seventh medical marijuana outlet to open in B.C.

There are three in Vancouver, with a fourth set to open in the city's
West End next week, as well as two on Vancouver Island and one in Nelson.

Just two days after the dispensary opened, the mayor's email inbox
was flooded with messages from residents opposed to the dispensary
and others who support it.

The district doesn't know if RCMP can shut the dispensary down.

"We've got to figure out where we stand on this thing," added Daykin,
who previously said he doesn't want the dispensary in the district.

"We are trying to get all our ducks in a row and find out what our
options are right now."