The Nanaimo Cannabis Coalition brought in some back-up from the Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries as they made a fresh pitch to Nanaimo City Council Monday night.
Jamie Shaw of CAM-CD says municipalities need to take initiative, instead of waiting for the federal government to lead on medical marijuana.
Council still hasn’t taken a formal stand on the issue. There’s a staff report in the works, and after the presentation they’re also asking CAM-CD for more information about their work with Vancouver and Victoria .
The cannabis issue also popped up during the City’s eTown hall on the budget, with a question around the amount of police resources that go into arresting and laying charges for cannabis use.
Nanaimo RCMP Superintendent Mark Fisher says between November 1st of 2014 and November 1st of 2015, there were 769 investigations involving all drugs.
Policing costs in Nanaimo are projected to rise significantly in the coming year. They already account for about 20% of the budget.
