Toronto is looking west to Vancouver as it considers implementing some regulations on illegally operating medical marijuana dispensaries across the city.

The decision comes after a rapid growth in the industry in Toronto, with dispensaries opening on the Danforth, in Kensington Market, in Bloordale and on Dundas Street West, to name just a few neighbourhoods.

“We just can’t have allegedly medical marijuana dispensaries popping up on every street corner in a completely unregulated manner,” said Mayor John Tory.

“We can’t have the Wild West of marijuana distribution,” he said.

In Vancouver, a similar problem emerged last year, with more than 100 medical marijuana dispensaries opening within a few months. That prompted Coun. Kerry Jang to move that the city establish a regulatory system to manage the industry.

So the city established a special licence for the budding business, putting restrictions on where and when the dispensaries could open. [Read more at CBC.ca]