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‘Weeds’ spreads to Sunshine Coast

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SECHELT (NEWS130) – Despite threats by the RCMP, a medical marijuana shop has opened in Sechelt.

Weeds Glass and Gifts now has 15 locations in and around the Lower Mainland.

Owner-operator of the franchise, Don Briere, says they haven’t had a chance to have a grand opening at the Sechelt location, but people are already placing their orders.

He says police would be wasting their time trying to shut down the small town shop.

“We would call that criminal misuse of public resources. You want to spend money on criminal activity? Go after gangs who buy guns. I have a very, very good relationship with the police in Vancouver.”

The stores operate in a grey area. They’re not required to have business licences and police in Vancouver only investigate the shops if there have been complaints.

A law went into effect last year which stipulates only licenced commercial companies can dispense medical marijuana, but a court case is challenging that requirement.

Briere has 11 marijuana dispensary shops in Vancouver, one in Surrey, one on the North Shore and one in Kelowna.

“The police support us because we have created 40 jobs. If there were no dispensaries, there would be 60 stores that wouldn’t be paying property taxes,” says Briere, referring to the 61 marijuana dispensaries in Vancouver alone.

He likens his service to Tim Hortons. People need to breathe and eat, he says, and a lot of people need their medication.

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