Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
A B.C. pot activist and dispensary owner told MPs studying the government's cannabis legalization bill Friday that excluding edible cannabis products from next year's planned rollout will mean the black market will continue to supply them.
"If the government is not going to allow edibles and extracts, we're going to continue to sell them through dispensaries, through the black market. They will be unregulated, but we do our best to make sure these products are safe and labeled," Dana Larsen told MPs on the House of Commons health committee.
In its current form, Bill C-45 does not include the legalization of edible cannabis products, and the government has said it would deal with those products at a later date. The plan is that on July 1, 2018, adults will be allowed to purchase fresh and dried cannabis, cannabis oils and seeds and plants for cultivation at home.
Larsen told the committee that dispensaries do their best given the constraints of legality.
"A lot of the fear mongering around edibles and extracts simply hasn't materialized in Vancouver, or Toronto, or other cities that have dozens of dispensaries. We are not really seeing a lot of problems coming out of this and that's an unregulated, self-regulated market. If we have some proper rules in place, problems will be minimal," said Larsen.
Colorado's experience with edibles
Daniel Vigil, who manages the Marijuana Health Monitoring and Research Program in Colorado's health department, said since legalization in 2012, the state has seen an increase in poison center calls related to marijuana.
"For adults, it is about equal numbers edible and Smokable products, which is actually disproportionate because more product is smoked in Colorado," said Vigil.
Ultimately, Vigil said he thinks edible cannabis products should be included in legalization, "but it is very important to get it right. And if that takes some time and some learning from the smoked market, then I would be in agreement with that."
Edible vs. Smokable
"When we give people smoked cannabis versus edible cannabis the magnitude of drug effects and the types of effects are identical," Ryan Vandrey, a professor at Johns Hopkins University who studies the dose effects of cannabis on the human body, told MPs. "I have not seen any evidence that eating it is more dangerous than smoking it."
Vandrey said the main difference is in how long it takes a user to feel the effects. For edibles, he said the onset of effects are initially felt 30 minutes after consumption and peak at about 90 minutes.
Total duration of the high is determined by dose, but Vandrey said it typically lasts between six to eight hours.
"My personal recommendation would be in favour of regulation and quality control over all products. I think that is the greater public good rather than just allowing one version and continuing to have black market product available," said Vandrey.
Black market will continue to 'thrive'
The committee is holding five full days of hearings this week.
On Thursday, MPs were warned the cannabis black market will continue to "thrive" should the legal industry not be made inclusive.
Ottawa lawyer Trina Fraser urged the committee to consider "amnesty provisions" for individuals with prior cannabis offences to allow access to the legal market.
"If we fail to create an inclusive cannabis industry, the black market will thrive and if it thrives cannabis will continue to be easily accessible to minors. The public health and safety objective of restricting access to unregulated cannabis products will be compromised and we will continue to place an unnecessary burden on the criminal justice system," said Fraser.
In its current form, Bill C-45 would allow the minister to refuse the granting of a license or permit should an applicant have contravened the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the past 10 years.
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Full Article: Delaying legal edible cannabis products won't keep them off street, MPs told - Politics - CBC News
Author: Brennan MacDonald
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Photo Credit: Brennan Linsley
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"If the government is not going to allow edibles and extracts, we're going to continue to sell them through dispensaries, through the black market. They will be unregulated, but we do our best to make sure these products are safe and labeled," Dana Larsen told MPs on the House of Commons health committee.
In its current form, Bill C-45 does not include the legalization of edible cannabis products, and the government has said it would deal with those products at a later date. The plan is that on July 1, 2018, adults will be allowed to purchase fresh and dried cannabis, cannabis oils and seeds and plants for cultivation at home.
Larsen told the committee that dispensaries do their best given the constraints of legality.
"A lot of the fear mongering around edibles and extracts simply hasn't materialized in Vancouver, or Toronto, or other cities that have dozens of dispensaries. We are not really seeing a lot of problems coming out of this and that's an unregulated, self-regulated market. If we have some proper rules in place, problems will be minimal," said Larsen.
Colorado's experience with edibles
Daniel Vigil, who manages the Marijuana Health Monitoring and Research Program in Colorado's health department, said since legalization in 2012, the state has seen an increase in poison center calls related to marijuana.
"For adults, it is about equal numbers edible and Smokable products, which is actually disproportionate because more product is smoked in Colorado," said Vigil.
Ultimately, Vigil said he thinks edible cannabis products should be included in legalization, "but it is very important to get it right. And if that takes some time and some learning from the smoked market, then I would be in agreement with that."
Edible vs. Smokable
"When we give people smoked cannabis versus edible cannabis the magnitude of drug effects and the types of effects are identical," Ryan Vandrey, a professor at Johns Hopkins University who studies the dose effects of cannabis on the human body, told MPs. "I have not seen any evidence that eating it is more dangerous than smoking it."
Vandrey said the main difference is in how long it takes a user to feel the effects. For edibles, he said the onset of effects are initially felt 30 minutes after consumption and peak at about 90 minutes.
Total duration of the high is determined by dose, but Vandrey said it typically lasts between six to eight hours.
"My personal recommendation would be in favour of regulation and quality control over all products. I think that is the greater public good rather than just allowing one version and continuing to have black market product available," said Vandrey.
Black market will continue to 'thrive'
The committee is holding five full days of hearings this week.
On Thursday, MPs were warned the cannabis black market will continue to "thrive" should the legal industry not be made inclusive.
Ottawa lawyer Trina Fraser urged the committee to consider "amnesty provisions" for individuals with prior cannabis offences to allow access to the legal market.
"If we fail to create an inclusive cannabis industry, the black market will thrive and if it thrives cannabis will continue to be easily accessible to minors. The public health and safety objective of restricting access to unregulated cannabis products will be compromised and we will continue to place an unnecessary burden on the criminal justice system," said Fraser.
In its current form, Bill C-45 would allow the minister to refuse the granting of a license or permit should an applicant have contravened the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the past 10 years.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Delaying legal edible cannabis products won't keep them off street, MPs told - Politics - CBC News
Author: Brennan MacDonald
Contact: CBC Help Centre
Photo Credit: Brennan Linsley
Website: CBC.ca - Canadian News Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV
