Pubdate: Sat, 11 Apr 2015
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2015 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Mike Hager
Page: S4

CANADIANS HAVE FEWER LEGAL MARIJUANA OPTIONS COMPARED WITH AMERICANS

Canadians buying legal marijuana have a much slimmer selection than 
their American counterparts. That's because Health Canada-licensed 
producers are allowed to sell only dried cannabis through the mail to 
registered patients and must stay away from "edibles" or other forms 
of the drug that are regulated south of the border.

However, like medicinal and recreational pot sold in Washington 
State, Canada's 17 licensed producers offer dozens of strains of 
dried leaves that help patients treat a range symptoms. Canadian 
producers must also display the potency of the batch's 
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content, as enforced 
under the federal Ministry of Health's current Marijuana for Medical 
Purposes Regulations.

Canadians can get pot prescriptions for up to 12 months from their 
doctors, but they don't typically recommend a particular strain, 
licensed producers say. It is up to patients to determine whether 
they want more of the psychoactive ingredient THC or CBD, which is 
reportedly the more medicinal component.

David Brown, communications director at Vancouver-based Lift, a 
startup that acts as an online guide for medical marijuana patients, 
said most people are looking for strains high in THC content, which 
can reach up to 29 per cent. But pot with THC and CBD at roughly the 
same levels (around 9 per cent each) is becoming increasingly 
popular, he added. Mr. Brown said little research has been done on 
CBD's therapeutic benefits, but parents across North America have 
heralded cannabis products high in CBD and low in THC for stopping or 
slowing down seizures in their children while not getting them high. 
The strain with the highest CBD content offered by a licensed 
producer is about 17 per cent, which is "basically almost hemp," Mr. 
Brown said.

People searching out edible cannabis products can buy them illegally 
in Canada from street dealers or dispensaries, which have exploded in 
Vancouver to more than 60 storefronts in the past several years and 
are now popping up in other communities around the country.

Those dispensaries, technically operating illegally, can label their 
products with any level of THC or CBD, because they are not forced to 
do any scientific testing of their cannabis. On the other hand, 
licensed producers must do their own comprehensive testing to 
accepted standards and have the results verified by Health Canada inspectors.

Greg Engel, CEO of Tilray, one of Canada's largest licensed 
producers, said in-house scientists test the pot for mould, bacteria 
and CBD and THC strength at the company's Nanaimo facility and send 
samples to one of the 10 third-party labs approved by Health Canada 
for further checks.

Chris Stone, a microbiologist and quality assurance manager at Broken 
Coast Cannabis, said Health Canada inspectors tour the facility on 
Vancouver Island about once a month. He said since the company 
started selling marijuana last November, inspectors have not taken a 
random sample of marijuana; instead the onus is on Broken Coast to 
keep comprehensive records that verify the third party that tests the 
product is using validated methods, as required by law.

A Health Canada spokesperson said the department's inspectors are 
authorized to examine any substance and collect samples at any 
licensed producer. To date, Health Canada has issued one recall due 
to THC content in a batch being slightly higher than labelled and 
four recalls over contamination from mould or other bacteria.

Mr. Stone said he is under the impression that on the West Coast 
there are only a handful of licensed inspectors working out of a 
Burnaby, B.C., office that also handles many other controlled substances.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom