Minister waiting to nip cafés in the bud

By: Rober Leblanc, Saint John Telegraph-Journal, 04/05/03

New Brunswick is waiting for Ottawa to act in order to stem the growth of cannabis cafés in the province, says Justice Minister Brad Green.

Lynn Wood opened Hemp NB's Cannabis Café this week in Saint John, providing customers with a public place to smoke marijuana. The café doesn't sell drugs. Rather it provides a venue for adult customers to smoke in a social setting.

Mr. Green said Friday the province is anxious to hear the federal government state its intentions to deal with the decriminalization issue.

"The province of New Brunswick is on record as being opposed to the decriminalization of marijuana. Our position remains the same," he said. "As for this particular operation in the City of Saint John, that is a policing issue. The law is very clear as far as we're concerned."

Public Safety Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney had also said this week the matter was strictly a policing issue. She said she had "every confidence the Saint John Police Department will do its job." And yet the café remains open.

Mr. Green said he had no idea when the federal government will conclude its examination of the issue and come to a decision. But with no word of other café grand openings coming, he said the province wasn't worried about others taking advantage of the situation. The issue will likely be on the agenda this fall when Justice Department ministers meet, he noted.

The Cannabis Café opened April 2 as the province's first self-described pot-smoking optional café. Patrons said they weren't worried about facing charges when possession charges are being thrown out of provincial courts across the country.