Marijuana advocates, police chief clash after raids on N.B. dispensaries
SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Marijuana advocates are denouncing police raids in Saint John, saying the city’s police chief had previously signalled medical cannabis wasn’t a top priority for the force.
Six dispensaries were raided by officers from the Saint John city police and nearby forces on Tuesday, and 12 people were charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, echoing earlier raids in Halifax, Toronto, Montreal and elsewhere.
The group Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana Society said on Wednesday in a news release they had taken a signal from Chief John Bates in September, when he told CBC news that the force had “bigger fish to fry” than medical cannabis.
Bates said in an interview it’s true he’d said the force had limited resources to deal with the dispensaries, but he also said at the time he believed they were operating illegally.