The topsy-turvy world of regulations pertaining to legal marijuana was the focus of a discussion among local officials.
Representatives from municipal government, law enforcement, and Essex-Windsor EMS met Friday at Essex MP Tracey Ramsey's constituency office in Essex for a workshop on cannabis regulations. Also attending the meeting were representatives from Health Canada. The purpose of the sit-down was for local officials to get clarification from Health Canada on the various types of rules and regulations surrounding legal pot.
Most Windsor-Essex communities sent delegations to the meeting. Ramsey told reporters afterward that it was important to differentiate between the different types of legal cannabis, particularly when the Essex region is becoming important in the legal weed trade.
"We have licenced producers, we're seeing big players like Aphria in our region, and then we have medical licences that are being given to individuals," said Ramsey. "So we talked about a lot of issues around them."
The discussion was also key because of Essex County's role in agri-business. Ramsey pointed out that the region is known across Canada and around the world for its thriving agriculture business, and that alone makes Essex a potential hotbed for a growing legal cannabis trade.
Ramsey said there were also some legal questions discussed, concerning those who already have licences to use marijuana for medicinal purposes.
"It's a very delicate balance between protecting people's privacy, their access to cannabis if they're using it as a medication and then, ultimately, if there are suspicions about them skirting those rules," said Ramsey.
The MP had set up the meeting in response to numerous questions her office has received from constituents regarding pot regulations. Ramsey had originally invited the federal Minister of Health to the meeting, but she was unable to attend.