Pot cafe creates a stir
date: 01-September-2004
source : CBC NEWS
country: CANADA
keyword: MARIJUANA
The owner of a Vancouver cafe that openly sells marijuana says she's going public, in the hopes that the city and police will let her stay in business.
Carol Gwilt says the Da Kine Cafe on Commercial Drive has been selling marijuana over the counter for the past four months, and just "flew under the radar."
Gwilt says the limit is one ounce per customer, and buyers have to be at least 19 years old. A doctor's note is not required.
The pot is not on display. Instead it's ordered from a menu, and brought out from a back room – much like the cannabis cafes in Amsterdam.
Gwilt says she's had no complaints from police or city hall, and should be allowed to stay open. "It's something that's working, and something that should be applauded. And we do get applauded.
"People come in here and they walk in in disbelief that they are in such a wonderful place," she says.
Now that she's spoken out, Gwilt expects to see police show up at her front door in the very near future.
"I expect to ask for their co-operation in resolving it so we can get our doors open again and continue to sell marijuana," she says.
Vancouver police say they don't have a plan on how to deal with the cafe. Const. Sarah Bloor says police have only just become aware of the operations because they haven't had a single complaint.
Bloor says police will sit down with city officials to decide what, if anything, should be done.
Gwilt says she hopes to convince city officials that her cafe is a vital part of Vancouver's overall harm reduction plan when it comes to dealing with drug use.
back |
to top |
full article >>
|
|
|