Courtenay's mayor says he's been fielding death threats after police shut down a pot dispensary in the mid-island community this week.
Mounties raided Leaf Compassion Wednesday, saying the dispensary was operating illegally and did not obtain a business licence.
Since that happened, Mayor Larry Jangula said he's received several angry and irate voicemails blaming him for the closure – some including threats that the mayor shared with CTV News.
"Prohibition with marijuana shouldn't have been started in the first place and a**holes like you that want to keep it going should be f**ing shot," said one caller.
Jangula said false information was spread online that the order to shut down the shop was given by the mayor's office.
"Like somehow the mayor of a city would have the power and the authority to tell the RCMP who they should investigate and what they should do, which you and I know is totally ludicrous," said Jangula. "I'm shocked, I'm amazed that something like a bylaw issue could cause an elected official to basically receive death threats."
The mayor, a former RCMP officer himself, said raiding dispensaries that are operating illegally is the responsibility of the RCMP – not the city.
He said Mounties are now investigating the threat, but Comox Valley RCMP have not confirmed that.
With legalization of marijuana in Canada looming next year, enforcement of pot-related bylaws has largely been left to individual police forces and municipalities.
Victoria and Vancouver have adopted their own frameworks for dealing with the licensing and enforcement of marijuana dispensaries, while dispensaries in places like Langford and Nanaimo have been ordered to shut down because they don't have – and can't obtain – licences in their cities.
