Marijuana candies, cookies and other baked goods won’t be banned under Victoria’s proposed regulations governing marijuana retailers, despite the urging of provincial medical officials.
Instead, Mayor Lisa Helps will write to Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall asking him to have Island Health address food or health safety concerns involving marijuana edibles.
“I am very loath to take on the work of the provincial government,” Helps said while noting that, by attempting to regulate marijuana retailers, the city is already doing the work of the federal government.
“It’s not our job. It’s clearly not our job.”
Kendall wrote to councillors this week, urging them to impose a marijuana edibles ban.
“While I understand that this position was supported by a majority of those in the community who were consulted on the basis they felt the benefits would outweigh the harms — such a conclusion is not based on the evidence,” Kendall wrote. “Nor is this position supported by public health officials in British Columbia and is directly contrary to the advice presented to you by Dr. Richard Stanwick, chief medical health officer for Vancouver Island Health.”
Public health officials worry that medical marijuana in the likes of candies and baked goods appeal to children, increasing the risk of childhood marijuana poisoning, and there is an increased risk of intoxication and prolonged impairment among adults from edibles.
“I don’t think it’s our role to determine or to deal with the concerns that were communicated to us by the health authorities,” Coun. Pam Madoff said. “I think that’s going to come from the federal government in terms of what the strength [of marijuana products] is and clear labelling and that kind of thing.
“My concerns in terms of folks who are not able or not willing to smoke marijuana, but need it for medicinal purposes and are able to consume it in another fashion, is really important. We would be eradicating a huge portion of the public that does use marijuana for medical therapy who would not be able to smoke it.”
City staff withdrew earlier recommendations to ban both the sale of marijuana edibles and the delivery of marijuana products.
Like Vancouver, Victoria has seen an explosion of marijuana-related retailers in recent months. About 35 shops are operating in Victoria, including about 32 storefront marijuana retailers — up from four 20 months ago..
The new regulations will essentially prohibit marijuana retailers from operating anywhere in the city unless expressly permitted. That means every retailer will have to go through a rezoning process, including making a presentation to the Community Association Land Use Committee and then apply for a business licence in order to operate. City staff expect to have the necessary bylaw changes ready by June.
A key provision would prohibit marijuana retailers from operating 200 metres from each other or from a school or licensed childcare facility. As applications are to be processed on a first-come-first-serve basis, that could create a major scramble as existing shop owners jockey to have their applications dealt with first.
Coun. Geoff Young suggested council remove the 200-metre limit between shops, arguing that putting shop owners in competition to get their application in first adds an unnecessary layer of complication to the rezoning and licensing process. But it failed to get support.
Key provisions of the new regulations include:
- Marijuana businesses must be at least 200 metres from schools and other medical-marijuana operations.
- No marijuana use allowed on site.
- Limit hours to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- No other business can be conducted on the premises of a medical-marijuana retailer.
- Charge an annual licence fee of between $4,000 and $5,000.
- No one under 19 on premises.
- No advertising.
- Odour-control and air filtration systems must be used.
- Health warning signs posted.
- Security plan required.
- Minimum of two employees on site.
- Video surveillance cameras required.
- Secure storage of valuables on premises required.
