MEDICAL MARIJUANA DEBATED

It's too difficult for patients to get medical marijuana, so
regulation of the issue should be transferred from the federal to the
provincial government, UBCM delegates voted Friday.

The Victoria motion passed, with advocates suggesting the province
could then distribute medical marijuana via pharmacies and community
dispensaries, potentially reducing the number of approved patients
growing their own pot.

Delegates also debated a call from Merritt for tighter enforcement of
licensed medical marijuana growers to ensure they meet local
regulations and don't pose similar safety risks to illegal grow-ops.

That resolution was referred back for further study after Kootenay
delegates argued it could violate the privacy rights of medical pot
users.