Is Abbotsford ready for a marijuana dispensary?
Zachariah Redesh believes so.
The Langley resident spoke before council on Monday night, requesting permission to start such a service.
Redesh said medicinal marijuana is used to treat a variety of physical ailments, and strict rules would be enforced to ensure proper use of the product.
“They (customers) would have to bring in a signed doctor’s note, “ he said.
“Customers would be issued a photo ID card and need a second piece of ID to confirm.”
He said a dispensary was safer than having patients grow their own marijuana.
Under council questioning, Redesh acknowledged that he was not a licensed pharmacist, but added a dispensary was not a pharmacy.
He also said he had not run a dispensary before.
Mayor George Peary said to allow such a facility would contravene Abbotsford’s own bylaw.
He explained that a licensed pharmacist, in a bonafide pharmacy, could dispense medical marijuana in Abbotsford, but not a dispensary.
“I appreciate his efforts. He’s a young guy who wants to try,” Peary told the Abbotsford News.
Council received Redesh as a delegation but there are no plans to move forward on the issue.