Medicinal marijuana dispensaries in New Brunswick say they will comply, but plan to fight any action by the RCMP to close them down.
Mounties delivered letters last week notifying dispensaries of a pending crackdown that could lead to the seizure of inventories as well as criminal prosecution.
“I wish to advise you that you are operating illegally and it is believed that you are currently in possession of cannabis for the purpose to traffic,” the letter reads.
The note then says the owners have two weeks to shut down, or “you may be subject to police enforcement including the arrest of all employees and patrons on site and the seizure of all offence related property on the premises.”
Dispensary manager Patrick Cassie says his store gets its marijuana from licenced producers, and that he only sells to people with a prescription.
“You've got to have your grams per day card and that's all,” says Cassie. “That's the only way you can get in here and obviously you have to be 19 and over.”
He says the letter is forcing him to shut down.
“We're not here to do illegal operations or nothing like that. That's not our goal we just want to help the people that need help,” Cassie says.
Some of the dispensaries around Moncton are joining forces to fight the crackdown. They're planning a rally and possibly legal action in hopes of keeping their doors open.
According the Government of Canada website, New Brunswick has two licenced producers of medicinal marijuana. The dispensaries that got a visit from the RCMP are not on that list.
The protest is planned for Dec. 1.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.
