Marijuana dispensary owners, clerks and landlords got their first day in court Wednesday, with several calling it a waste of time and money as Canada moves toward full pot legalization.

More than a dozen people appeared at Old City Hall on provincial charges of contravening Toronto’s zoning bylaw that states only federal licensed marijuana distributors, who mail or courier pot, can operate in the city and only in industrial parts of Toronto.

Most accused received disclosure of the case against them and a date to return for trial in August on the charges that carry a maximum fine of $25,000 for individuals and $50,000 for corporations.

City council has approved rules to prevent medical marijuana counselling businesses from clustering in communities or opening near schools, in an effort to prevent illegal dispensaries from littering neighbourhoods.

While the rules may be aggressive in a city with just two medical marijuana counselling outfits (that can’t legally dispense the drug), some councillors said it’s important to get ahead of what could be a major problem down the road.

“I’m not one to typically be supportive of overregulation but, in this particular instance, I think it’s a prudent step,” Coun. Andre Chabot said during Tuesday’s debate on the changes.

The Quebec College of Physicians made it mandatory for doctors and patients to take part in a research study if they wanted access to cannabis. But tracking the use of medical marijuana in the province has proven to be a challenge.

Marijuana and fitness can be mentioned together, says 1998 Olympic gold medal snowboarder.

In college, Jim McAlpine used marijuana to combat his attention deficit disorder when term papers had to be finished. Now, as a 46-year-old married father and businessman near San Francisco, he uses twice daily: “My mind is one of those minds that’s just always moving, and I need to slow it down.”

Marijuana is his answer, and it is also becoming his business. McAlpine, who has founded a marijuana-themed travelling sports carnival called the 420 Games, is planning to open a pot friendly fitness centre in Northern California with help from former Toronto Argonauts running back Ricky Williams. 

Neil Young has a simple message for Donald Trump: "F**k you."

It's the latest skirmish between the Canadian rocker and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. After Trump used "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" at his campaign launch last year, Young condemned the candidate and a spokesperson said he "was not authorized" to use the song, according to Rolling Stone.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government came to power promising to legalize recreational marijuana use in order to eliminate the black market and thereby keep cannabis away from kids. Now the New Democratic Party is alleging that the government's delays on this file is actually endangering the wellbeing of younger Canadians - although young adults in this case, not underage youth.

Greenhouses are becoming the most popular way to cultivate cannabis. They harness the power of the sun, provide a warm climate, and protect gardens from harsh environmental conditions. Past the basics, a greenhouse allows for year-round cultivation, climate control, and controlled exposure to sunlight. What’s more, they’re cheaper than growing indoors and produce a more consistent product than outdoors.

How Does a Greenhouse Work?

The federal government will not decriminalize the possession of marijuana until it becomes law — with stringent regulations and restrictions in place, Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould said on Monday.

“Our government’s objectives in doing so are to protect young Canadians by keeping marijuana out of the hands of children and youth,” said Wilson-Raybould. “We also want to keep profits out of the hands of criminals, particularly organized crime.”

The federal attorney general spoke against an Opposition Day motion introduced in Parliament on Monday by NDP justice critic Murray Rankin, who represents Victoria.

The bill urges the government to decriminalize possession of personal amounts of pot before it’s made legal.

MP Murray Rankin says too many people are getting criminal records for something that will soon be legal.

The federal New Democrats are putting forward a motion in Parliament today to pressure the Liberal government to decriminalize pot before it is legalized.

NDP Justice Critic Murray Rankin says it is not fair to arrest people and give them criminal records for possessing marijuana if the practice will soon be legal.

"Despite Justin Trudeau's clear campaign promise to immediately fix marijuana laws in Canada, the government has done nothing for eight months except continue the senseless practice of handing out criminal records for personal use," said a statement released by Rankin.

Canada's medical marijuana industry has recently become a battleground between the nation's "gray market" dispensaries - illegal storefronts selling marijuana in cities like Vancouver and Toronto - and licensed producers such as Tilray and OrganiGram