'I hope and pray' for no cannabis stores in Stouffville: grandfather

Illegal weed 'riddled' with contaminants, biochemist urging retail outlets says

Yorkregion.com
December 20, 2018
Lisa Queen

Whitchurch-Stouffville residents appear to be split on whether the town should allow cannabis stores.

On the night of Dec. 18, about 50 residents turned out for the first of three public meetings on the issue, with both sides warning safety is at risk.

Those opposed to pot stores are worried about the availability of marijuana to minors and the prospect of increased traffic if buyers flock to town to purchase weed.

“I would hope and pray that my 16 grandchildren would not have the opportunity of walking down Main Street and buying marijuana,” senior and longtime resident Ray Laird said.

Those in favour would rather consumers had ready access to government-regulated stores selling cannabis, uncontaminated with dangerous ingredients such as fentanyl which is sometimes found in pot sold on the street.

The province has given municipalities until Jan. 22 to opt out of hosting pot stores.

Benny Skouros bought the Savex building on Stouffville’s Main Street last year and rented the back of his building to a cannabis company that hopes to employ 15 people.

While the father of five would prefer his children not smoke marijuana when they turn 19, he would rather they get it from a safe legal store, similar to the LCBO, if they choose to use it.

“I’ve just been up here for a while, I don’t live here but my kids live here and this town is full of drugs, in the back alleys, upstairs in the apartments and it’s not marijuana that’s the problem here,” Skouros added, saying he routinely finds needles people use to shoot drugs in the back of his building. "The problem is opioids and all this other stuff.”

With the legalization of cannabis Oct. 17, people can already have pot delivered legally to their mailboxes, so it makes sense to have local retail stores, Skouros said.

Biochemist Jeff Hendryks said illegal weed is “riddled” with contaminants including rat poison, while legal cannabis must meet strict Health Canada standards.

But Wan Jian Hu, one of several people in the audience wearing yellow T-shirts with large buttons reading “Say no to marijuana in Stouffville,” gave the town a petition with more than 300 signatures urging the town to opt out of cannabis retail stores.

Anne Thornley-Brown, a relative of Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders and a former social worker, urged councillors not to permit cannabis stores because they would “wreak havoc” especially on the mental health of young people, put additional pressure on York Regional Police and increase traffic.

“I’m very disappointed in the Canadian government for making such an irresponsible decision and I do really beg, plead (for council to opt out of allowing cannabis stores),” she said.

“I would get down on this ground and grovel if it weren’t for the fact that that would be beneath my dignity and beg you please opt out. Do it for the sake of the community, for the safety of the community and especially for our young people.”

Addition public meetings will be held Jan. 8 and 10, with a special council meeting on Jan. 15.