Ben Bulmer
After a decade of globetrotting, U.K. native Ben Bulmer ended up settling in Canada in 2009. Calling Vancouver home he headed back to school and studied journalism at Langara College. From there he headed to Ottawa before winding up in a small anglophone village in Quebec, where he worked for three years at a feisty English language newspaper. Ben is always on the hunt for a good story, an interesting tale and to dig up what really matters to the community.
Three men to be extradited to US in 15-year-old Okanagan marijuana smuggling case
Three men alleged to have been involved in smuggling marijuana in hollowed-out logs from the North Okanagan to California 15 years ago have failed to block their extradition to the United States. Following a lengthy court battle, B.C. Supreme Court…
B.C. ‘compassion club’ owner finally has cannabis trafficking sentence overturned
In a sign of the changing times, a B.C. Court has sided with a cannabis dispensary owner and overturned his sentence for trafficking marijuana. The three-judge panel at the British Columbia Court of Appeal allowed Robert James Woolsey's appeal, quashing…
Provincial pot police dish out huge fines to illegal cannabis stores
The provincial government has collected almost $1.3 million in penalties from illegal pot shops after dishing out fines often in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The provincially run cannabis enforcement agency, the Community Safety Unit, reports it has collected…
Stores beginning to close in Okanagan’s oversaturated cannabis market
The oversaturated market of cannabis stores in the Okanagan has started to see its first victims as three stores across the valley have recently closed their doors. Eggs Canna in Penticton, along with the AR Cannabis Store in Vernon have…
Cannabis-infused drinks replacing booze for many U.S. pot users: survey
Driven in part by cannabis-infused drinks, a growing number of U.S. marijuana users are replacing alcohol with weed. A recent study found almost half of U.S. cannabis users have replaced some of their alcohol use with marijuana. The study, Cannabis…
Kelowna, Kamloops pot shops still pay big bucks as Vernon reduces licence fees
The City of Vernon has reduced its sky-high business licences costs for cannabis stores, but pot shops in Kelowna and Kamloops aren't so lucky. After lobbying from cannabis stores, the City of Vernon voted unanimously yesterday, Jan. 10, to bring…
More people in B.C. driving while high since legalization: study
Cannabis is being detected in twice as many injured drivers since it was legalized says the findings of a University of British Columbia study. The UBC study showed that the amount of cannabis in a driver's blood following an injury…
Splatsin cannabis store closing; band leadership blamed for oversaturated market
A Splatsin cannabis store owner says she's closing her business due to the oversaturation of pot shops on the reserve and holds the Band's leadership responsible after it failed to put any regulations in place. Splatsin member River Johnson says…
‘Slap in the face’: Province says it won’t act against unlicensed pot shops on reserves
More than three years after marijuana legalization, the provincial government has confirmed that it won't take action against unlicensed pot shops operating on First Nations land without their permission. A recent letter from the B.C. Minister of Public Safety Mike…
Pot shop on Osoyoos Indian Band lands damaged in arson fire
A cannabis store on Osoyoos Indian Band lands has been a victim of an arson attack. The fire broke out at the Pot Doctor cannabis store at around 4:30 a.m. Feb. 22, on Highway 97 North in the 8100 block…
Vernon puts 500-metre buffer between pot shops in oversaturated market
More than two years after the suggestion was originally brought to the table, Vernon city council has passed a motion to require cannabis stores to be at least 500 metres from each other. Vernon council had several options on the…
iN VIDEO: Footage released of brazen arsonist in Oliver pot shop blaze
The owner of an Oliver cannabis store has released video footage of a brazen arson attack that took place last week. The closed-circuit television footage shows a person wearing a mask get into the cannabis store, splash gasoline around and…
Kelowna cannabis execs sue company for $1.4M
The former president of a Kelowna cannabis company, along with its former corporate secretary are suing their former employer, arguing the company owes them $1.4 million in wages and shares after both women were fired on the same day. According…
PUFF, PUFF, PASS: B.C. considers onsite cannabis use at cafes, spas, festivals and more
The B.C. government is toying with the idea of opening the door to cannabis consumption spaces, which has some in the weed industry excited about the opportunity but fearful of all the red tape. The province released a paper on…
RCMP veteran who rolled joint in B.C. pub wins human rights case against bar that kicked him out
A retired RCMP officer who was kicked out of his local pub for rolling a joint has won a Human Rights Tribunal case. Former RCMP officer Robin Hayes took Port Alberni's Blue Marlin Inn to the Tribunal following an incident…