We demand that the Vancouver Island Health Authorities and the City of Vancouver reverse the prohibition of selling medibles.

Earlier this year, despite the Supreme Court ruling ensuring marijuana patients’ right to choose their form of marijuana in 2015, all dispensaries in Victoria were banned from selling medibles by VIHA because one person complained about the dispensary’s sanitation and two years ago the City of Vancouver decided to ban all sales of medibles in dispensaries because the appearance of baked goods looked too appealing to children.

It is an unreasonable decision by both authorities allowing a single story on sanitation to lead to the decision of banning all medibles and when a simple packaging solution and child-proofing can prevent children from accessing medibles, especially when medibles provide so many benefits to its users.

In March, Island Health sent a letter to dispensaries ordering them to stop selling cannabis edibles because they violate the BC Food Premises Regulation, which requires all ingredients to be obtained from a source approved by the federal government.

Alex Robb, a liaison for Trees Dispensary, which has several locations on Vancouver Island, says part of the concern for dispensary owners and patients is that cannabis edibles are a more effective tool for pain management than smoking or vaporizing, and he hopes public health agencies like VIHA and the BC Ministry of Health can recognize that edibles serve a purpose from a harm reduction standpoint.

"There’s a mountain of evidence building that cannabis edibles are the best way to deal with chronic pain, rather than opioids," says Robb. "Doctors ought to be prescribing more cannabinoids, not to be smoked, but something that can be taken in an edible format—something that’s easier, less unhealthy, is longer lasting, and has better pain reducing effects.”

It’s up to parents, you don’t keep your medication out on the counter. You don’t leave loaded guns around. You don’t leave alcohol on the counter. You don’t leave things that are dangerous to your children out. So we have to educate (parents) to make sure these products stay safe and secure.

We urge you to sign this petition to reverse the prohibition of selling medibles.

Thank you,