BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition November 2018

JAMILA POMEROY
Grassifieds
CANNABIS
LEGALIZATION
IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA:
WHAT YOU
SHOULD KNOW
On October 17, Canada became the second
country in the world to fully legalize cannabis,
second to Uruguay. During the first 24 hours
of legalization, B.C’s online legal government
cannabis sales came in at around 10,000
individual sales, and about 100,000 individual
sales at the Ontario online legal government
cannabis store. While the province is roughly
three-times the size of B.C. in population, our
sales are still significantly lower than Ontario,
when broken down to a population size more
comparable to B.C.; if Ontario were to have a
similar population as us, their average online
sales would have come in at around at over
30,000, three-times more than B.C. The online
sales have since dropped to about 8,700 a
week and have been projected to continue to
drop. It’s hard to say at this point whether the
low sales are due to the province’s allegiance
to the grey-zone cannabis infrastructure that
was in place prior to legalization, or to the
talked about inferior government cannabis:
perhaps British Columbians have been spoiled
living in Canada’s Amsterdam.
Regardless of low sales there seems to be a
slightly more noticeable essence of the green
stuff in the Vancouver air, with dispensary
line-ups larger than usual. The government
of Canada is clearly putting light on the
recreational use of cannabis, steering from
touching on the medicinal side of the plant,
hopefully just for the time being. When
calling into the government’s online store
call centre with questions about cannabis, in
regards to health and ailments, you will most
likely be given vague information that steers
clear of offering health advice, and lacks the
resources to direct you to said health advice.
The Health Canada born Medicinal Cannabis
program still remains, but it appears the
legalization and sudden social acceptance of
cannabis has further embedded medicinal
programing: making light of British
Columbian stoner culture, while leaving
medicinal patients in the dark.
Despite the newfound acceptance of the
plant, there seems to be much confusion over
the laws and regulations surrounding. Here
are some crucial things you should know
about cannabis legalization in Canada:
Who is eligible?
You must be 19 years or older to buy, use,
possess, and grow non-medical cannabis.
Exemptions are made to those with medical
cannabis permits.
Where is cannabis sold, and
how do I know the cannabis I am
purchasing is legal?
Cannabis will be sold exclusively at
government-run stores, licensed private
retailers, and the B.C. government’s online
store. While prior to legalization, dispensaries
were monitored by their respective police
and municipal forces, licensed private retailers
will now be both monitored and licenced
by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation
Branch. Non-medical cannabis is to carry an
excise stand on its packaging, similar to the
stamp found on tobacco: the excise stamp
acts as verification that the product is from
both a licenced grower and retailer, while
assuring the correct tax has been paid. All
cannabis products without this excise stamp
are not legal. Medical cannabis purchasers
will continue to purchase through the
government.
How much can I carry and grow?
Adults 19+ are permitted to carry up to 1,000
grams of dried cannabis in a public place, or
your own home. Connective, you may not
grow more than the allotted 1,000 grams;
projections should be based on the expected
yield from four cannabis plants (limmit four
plants per-household). Exemptions are made
for medical cannabis permit holders.
Where can I use cannabis?
Public use laws follow suit of tobacco
smoking laws, excluding smoking in
communal spaces such as playgrounds and
sports fields. Cannabis users are prohibited
from smoking within six metres of air intakes,
windows, and doors. While smoking tobacco
is illegal in most indoor facilities, smoking
Photo by Ryan Walter Wagner
cannabis in hotel rooms for example, is legal,
should the hotel permit it. Exemptions are
made for medical cannabis permit holders.
Like alcohol and other impairing substances,
it is illegal to drive while high; there has been
no differentiation yet made, in regards to
whether the consumption of isolated CBD
based cannabis products can be legally
consumed prior to driving. Consumption in
or on private property is fully legal, however,
renters must abide by landlords, strata
council rules.
While it is clear that the focus of
legalization and cannabis legislation has
been on non-medical cannabis, medical
cannabis, and the medical cannabis program
is still available to those with the proper
corresponding ailments. Carriers of medical
cannabis permits will still be governed
by many of the prospective laws set prior
to legalization; there are exemptions for
use of Health Canada authorized medical
cannabis on school property and on intercity
busses, trains, and boats as long as specific
requirements are met. Specific details of
Health Canada authorized medical cannabis
law can be found in the updated Order in
Council No. 542, updated this October;
although they are not written in layman’s
terms, providing as information inaccessible
to the general public, without the presence
of a law professional, or persons familiar with
reading legislative amendments.
If the first few weeks of cannabis
legalization have told us anything, it’s
that British Columbians appear to have a
greater trust or allegiance to the existing
ecosystem of cannabis; a system that has
been built on grassroots and not a glass
ceiling, encompassing both the recreational
and medicinal attributes of cannabis. We
can only hope the government will follow
suit, providing accessible information to
Canadians, and products that serve a wide
range of consumers.
For more information on cannabis legislation,
law, and the corresponding amendments, visit
cannabis.gov.bc.ca
STRAIN-OF-THE-MONTH
Black Tuna
Black Tuna is a hybrid strain developed in British Columbia
by 5 Star Organic. The strain was bred specifically to help
offer fast relief to those dealing with chronic pain. It has
gained widespread fame as a cross between parent plants
Herijuana and Lamb’s Bread. The high THC strain is known
for its strong narcotic effects and whimsical marketing
from back-in-the-day; prepackaged flowers were sold in
sealed tuna cans. While the strain may have a strong smell,
it is in fact quite earthy, rather than the assumed contents
of a tuna can. Due to the strains high potency, it may not
be best suited for moderate or novice users.
Written by Jamila Pomeroy
14
November 2018