BLUNT DISCUSSIONS

Last night, 355 West Queen's Rd. played host to a tale of two
districts.

On one side of a packed council chamber sat medicinal marijuana
supporters, many of whom shared stories of how the plant has enabled
them to live normal, productive lives in the face of grave pain. On
the other, concerned residents -- Deep Covers and those from other
precincts -- worried about increased traffic levels, children's
exposure to marijuana and a neighbourhood culture change if a planned
medical marijuana dispensary is given a green light by district council.

Both sides of the room took the opportunity to share their views in
the wake of plans by the ReLeaf Society, a registered non-profit
organization established by Deep Cove resident Ken Starr , to open a
medicinal marijuana dispensary at 4266 Mount Seymour Parkway.

Starr, accompanied by his lawyer Kirk Tousaw and notable marijuana
activist and Vancouver dispensary director Dana Larsen , remained
steadfast in his belief there is a need on the North Shore for a
dispensary. It isn't right, he said, for sick North Shore folks to
travel downtown to get their medicine when a spot in the community
could provide the service.

Upon hearing Starr's plans, the district quickly drew up a bylaw
prohibiting the use of any of its land for the distribution of
marijuana. The bylaw, which has passed a first reading, will not apply
to those who have a Health Canada exemption to use the substance.

"The district is saying I don't have rights and that people who are
like me don't have rights," a teary-eyed Tim Sproule, a medicinal
marijuana user, told The Outlook.

"Don't look down on us. Understand we're not evil people. We just want
to live in peace."

Opposition to the dispensary centred primarily on the issue of land
use. Worried residents, time and again, prefaced their comments by
saying they weren't against medicinal marijuana; it's just the
residential location that troubles them. A high school, elementary
schools and daycares pepper the area and parents were uncomfortable
with the statement that a marijuana dispensary may make to their children.

But the bylaw clearly states, said one dispensary supporter, that
nowhere in the district would such an operation be allowed. To support
the bylaw would be to support the prohibition of dispensaries as a
whole, not just in Deep Cove.

It wasn't all about the kids and what an appropriate storefront for
the community should be. Dr. Brian Copland, a district resident and
physician, said Health Canada's guidelines should be followed. Copland
told The Outlook he has prescribed marijuana, within the federal
framework, to some of his patients and has been told the system works
well. Concerns over the delay in Health Canada's distribution -- many
users last night described long wait times for their medicine from the
feds -- hasn't been an issue in his experience.

"It requires further study, but for a subset of patients [marijuana]
does provide relief. Nausea is the most prominent symptom I've
prescribed it for, but for pain too," said Copland.

"I'm a resident of the area and I don't particularly like the idea.
But there is a federal system in place. It should be distributed,
regulated and accessed in the appropriate way."

For the majority of the evening, political implications and a
potential change in voter trust over the district's looming decision
remained out of the discussion. But Jacob Hunter, a member of the
medicinal marijuana advocacy group Beyond Prohibition Foundation, said
a passage of the bylaw would result in his group campaigning against
council members in the upcoming municipal elections.

"We will make this an election issue and devote resources to it," said
Hunter.

"I'm quite confident that were we to do that there would be a
substantial change on council. A general prohibition is not in the
cards. We'd love to work with them, but we'll file an injunction if
this bylaw is passed."