Pubdate: Wed, 24 Feb 2016
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Jeff Bell
Page: A3

CANNABIS USERS LOBBY FOR FOOD PRODUCTS

Maintaining access to edible marijuana products was a key concern 
when about 250 people turned up at city hall this week to hear about 
proposed regulations for about 30 medical marijuana-related 
businesses in Victoria. Only four are licensed. The proposal to limit 
food products that can be sold at the businesses to tinctures, 
capsules or edible oils has drawn considerable reaction, said City of 
Victoria staff member Shannon Craig.

"We know that businesses currently sell oils, baked goods, candies, 
other food products containing marijuana, and that there certainly 
are some benefits to customers that ingest products via food," she said.

Craig said concerns over edible products centred around labelling and 
packaging, which can vary from place to place. That can lead to 
dosages being over-estimated or accidental ingestion of products, she said.

Kate Dalgleish, whose Green Mountain Consulting specializes in 
guiding marijuana-related businesses, said her company has spoken 
with most of Victoria's dispensaries. "What they said about the 
edibles is that it comprises a huge amount of their sales," she said. 
"The patients require and use edibles on a very large scale.

"So a lot of people that can't use inhaled marijuana products and 
need these controlled, regulated, low-grade, low-psychoactive edible 
products can deal especially with chronic pain or with terminal issues."

Many people don't have the knowledge to make their own cookies or 
brownies or other such products, Dalgleish said.

"And they can't make consistent products, so there's a risk of 
creating overdose issues."

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said the turnout for the meeting was 
impressive and there was a lot of quality feedback for council. She 
said the city should "just remain silent on the issue" of edibles 
"It's really Island Health that regulates the food industry," Helps said.

The mayor said she was struck by one dispensary owner saying that his 
most-prevalent clients are 50- to 70-year-old women who are in 
chronic pain and using edible products.

"I was also really impressed by a number of people in the industry 
wanting regulations, to make it more fair and equitable."

James Whitehead of the Gorge Cannabis Dispensary said he would like 
to see more emphasis on "daylighting" the supply chain for marijuana 
- - bringing it out into the open so the quality can be more 
effectively controlled.

He said he has to obtain marijuana "in a clandestine format."

Proposed regulations discussed at the meeting include:

* No one under 19 can be on the premises.

* No marijuana use allowed on site.

* Odour-control systems must be used.

* Marijuana businesses must be at least 200 metres from schools and 
other medical-marijuana operations.

* Limit hours to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

* Charge an annual licence fee of between $4,000 and $5,000.

Craig said input from the session, the results of an online survey 
and written submissions will be reviewed, with recommendations being 
presented to council in April. A final report will be given in May.

The online survey is available until March 4 at victoria.ca.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom