Rona Ambrose upset as Marijuana dispensary regulations is approved in Vancouver

Vancouver city council has voted to regulate and license the roughly 100 medical marijuana retailers in the city, making it the first city in Canada to do so and drawing fire from Health Minister Rona Ambrose.
The bylaw was supported by Mayor Gregor Robertson, the dominant Vision Vancouver councillors, and Green Party Coun. Adriane Carr. Opposed were the city’s three Non-Partisan Association councillors.
Coun. Kerry Jang called the controversial bylaw “a common-sense approach to dealing with the explosion of medical marijuana shops in our city.”The bylaw will charge retail dealers a $30,000 licence fee — the city’s highest permit cost — and prevent shops from operating within 300 metres of community centres, schools and other pot shops.Under the rules, dozens are expected to be forced to close because they fall within those limits.
Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose opposed the bylaw by sending letters to Vancouver’s mayor and city councillors telling them marijuana is illegal and the bylaw will increase marijuana use and addiction, and she issued a strongly worded statement after today’s vote. “I am deeply disappointed by the City of Vancouver’s decision to ‘regulate’ illegal marijuana storefronts across the city,” wrote Ambrose in a statement. “Storefronts selling marijuana are illegal and under this Conservative government will remain illegal. We expect the police to enforce the law,” she added.