GRASS DISPENSER HAS PLANS

A local business owner wants to open a medical marijuana dispensary.

Langley needs a medical marijuana dispensary somewhere in the
community, according to the local business owner who is licensed by
Health Canada to provide medical pot.

Randy Caine submitted proposals for licensed dispensaries to Langley
Township and City, three and two weeks ago, respectively.

He said the need is there.

"We have a very large seniors population here," he
said.

He expects demand to continue to rise as the population ages and more
people struggle with chronic diseases and other conditions.

For the past 18 months, Caine has made arrangements with each of his
approximately three dozen clients to get them their pot - but none of
that is done at his business, Hempyz, the gift and novelty store on
Fraser Highway.

He has Health Canada approval and must undergo criminal record
screening annually, and he keeps the store and its staff completely
out of the dispensing work, he explained.

Some municipal leaders have complained that they have little say about
shops that are often run through legally constituted societies that
provide pot to licensed people.

Caine said he would like to take a different route, to work with the
local governments, to create bylaws and regulation, so residents can
have a say in any local dispensary, and to have their questions and
concerns addressed.

"I'd really like the community to be part of the process," he
said.

Health Canada hasn't yet developed infrastructure to grow and
distribute medical marijuana, so "compassion societies" and people
like Caine are filling the void.

Ideally, he said, the pot should be dispensed through a
pharmacy.

But first, he said, society needs to be more accepting of the benefits
of medical marijuana.

"Medical marijuana is on its way here," Caine commented.

His proposals included health, legal and historical information. He
hasn't heard back from either local government.

Langley Township declined to comment on the proposal or where things
stand there.

In Langley City, Mayor Peter Fassbender, who butted heads with Caine
when Hempyz first opened, and who was adamantly opposed to the sale of
its hemp products, said the City is reviewing Caine's submission.

Ironically, he and Caine agree on the best way to distribute the pot
to patients.

"This should be through licensed pharmacies," Fassbender
said.

The mayor noted that municipal governments - and even the police - are
not allowed to find out who is licensed to use medical marijuana.

Fassbender faults the federal government on how its program operates,
because there is no consistency of supply or distribution, and that
leaves the program open to abuse.

"I think it's ridiculous that Health Canada hasn't put in place the
regulations on this stuff," the City mayor said.