VANCOUVER — The head of Canada's police chiefs says it's "highly unlikely" there will be raids of unlicensed pot shops on the day marijuana becomes legal.
Vancouver Chief Const. Adam Palmer says he hasn't heard of any police departments planning to crack down on illegal dispensaries on Wednesday.
Enforcement against unlicensed marijuana stores will primarily fall to provinces, which are using inspectors to levy fines, as they do with illegal liquor sellers, but Palmer says police will work with them.
Provincial approval of cannabis stores varies but British Columbia is expected to only have one legal shop on Wednesday, while dozens of illegal pot stores have operated for years and some plan to stay open without licences allowing their operation.
Palmer, who is also president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, says Canada is heading into uncharted waters this week, but police are ready because they have been policing cannabis-impaired drivers and illicit grow-ops for years.
He says police likely won't focus on shutting down boutique grow-ops that are waiting for federal micro-cultivator licences, and rather will continue to prioritize those allegedly connected to organized crime.
