Vancouver marijuana shop subject to police raid

Westside dispensary raided after community concerns

By Alex Stanton, Staff Writer

Following a month-long investigation after public safety concerns involving minors, on April 29, Vancouver marijuana dispensary Weeds Glass and Gifts—located at 2916 W. 4th Avenue in Kitsilano—was subject to a raid by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).

Although Weeds Glass and Gifts was generally tolerated by the community and the police in the Lower Mainland, the VPD revealed in a media press release that they began investigating it in March after multiple complaints were made concerning public safety. Most notably, a 15-year-old ended up hospitalized after allegedly purchasing an edible product at the store. After reviewing this, among other allegations involving minors, Vancouver police gathered evidence and obtained a search warrant to enter the dispensary.

The release states that the staff was placed under arrest and the customers were detained while the police searched the building and, according to Weeds’ owner Don Briere, seized evidence, which included the shop’s entire stock of marijuana. Everyone was later released pending further investigation.

Although the VPD found that they needed to take action, they stated that “our priority remains focussing on violent drug traffickers and those who prey on the youth and the marginalized in our community.” They went on to remind the public that these stores, while arguably tolerated by the City of Vancouver, are nonetheless still illegal, and that they will continue to investigate all complaints and take enforcement action against dispensaries when needed. In the past 18 months, the VPD has obtained search warrants for nine dispensaries, Weeds being the latest on that list.

The VPD used their press release to remind operators and staff that they could be subject to criminal charges; additionally, the property owners and landlords could be forced to forfeit any assets related to the illegal business. Briere, speaking to CBC, threw his support “100 per cent” behind the VPD, agreeing that whoever had been selling edibles to minors should be fired, arrested, and charged.

During the last half of April, the federal government expressed its disagreement with the way Vancouver handles marijuana, with Minister of Health Rona Ambrose criticizing Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vancouver City Council for looking into new regulations for dispensaries. These include mandatory distancing from certain community locations and a $30,000 licensing fee. In her letter, Ambrose expresses her concern with the proposed regulations and reminds Mayor Robertson that “Marijuana is not an approved drug or medicine, and Health Canada does not condone its use.”