Saskatoon police follow Regina's lead in dealing with illegal pot dispensaries

Following Regina police Chief Evan Bray'spublic warning to marijuana dispensaries in the city, the Saskatoon Police Service is preparing for its own enforcement plan.

Police in Saskatchewan's capital city have worked to educate dispensary operators about the law, and Saskatoon's police force has followed the progress closely.

"We're actually going to get a copy of the letter they're sending," said Saskatoon Police Service Superintendent David Haye.

"The value of an educational process would be to gain voluntary compliance from the unauthorized outlets."

That's what Haye "would hope people would do" before cannabis becomes legal in July.

Three dispensaries have closed in Regina. In Saskatoon, Haye says one business has stopped advertising, but none have closed recently.

Shopowner 'worried for a number of reasons'

"We're worried for a number of reasons," said Mike Francis, co-owner of Best Buds Society, a marijuana dispensary in Saskatoon.

"Our biggest concern is what's going to happen to the people who are coming here."

Law enforcement argues that dispensaries are illegal, in the same way buying marijuana on the street is illegal.

"It really is not that way," said Francis.

Meth, fentanyl top priorities

Haye believes people who purchase cannabis at illegal dispensaries know they're breaking the law, but it isn't a top priority for the police service.

"Our priorities are always life and property first," he said.

"Crystal meth use and trafficking is driving our property crime numbers, so that's an issue for us, as well as the issues of fentanyl and the danger to life."

Still, Francis describes the cannabis community in Saskatoon as "on edge."

"But, surprisingly, we're still getting people who are coming in because of the attention."