Farnworth says five years too long for feds to deal with organized crime in medical pot

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B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth talks pot with reporters at a presser in Surrey. (Photo: Tom Zytaruk)

Farnworth says five years too long for feds to deal with organized crime in medical pot
Needs to be dealt with much sooner than that, B.C. Public Safety Minister says

• TOM ZYTARUK
• Apr. 20, 2018 2:30 a.m.
• NEWS

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Provincial Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says five years is too long to wait for the federal government to deal with organized crime’s infiltration into Canada’s medical marijuana industry.

“I am concerned about the role of organized crime in the production of medical marijuana, particularly we’ve seen around the Hells Angels and the use of the medical marijuana licences, and I think it’s an issue that should be concerning the federal government,” Farnworth told reporters at a press conference in Surrey this past Friday.

“I think it’s unacceptable that organized crime has been able to infiltrate on the medical marijuana production side,” said Farnworth, who is also B.C.’s solicitor general. “I know the federal government has said they intend to address the issue of medical marijuana, changes and reforms within five years, I think that’s far too long. I think it needs to be dealt with much sooner that that.

READ ALSO: Province’s $6.5M will help women escape violence, Public Safety Minister announces in Surrey

READ ALSO: B.C. government marijuana stores will compete with private sellers

Farnworth said the challenge “of course” is that medical marijuana is solely regulated by the federal government and as a result the legislation the provincial government will be tabling “is only able to deal with the recreational legalization of recreational cannabis because that’s what the federal government is legalizing.

“Medical marijuana will still be governed by existing federal regulation, federal rules and until that changes, we can only deal with the recreational side of things,” he said.

Meantime, the government minister said he intends to introduced legislation as early as the week of April 23rd concerning recreational pot use.

“There are significant changes, obviously, that are going to be happening in the coming weeks with new legislation and legalization that’s taking place at the federal level and so that I expect that is obviously going to have an impact on the events such as 4/20 in the coming years,” he said.

“I’m expecting to be introducing legislation next week, I know that it will be introduced next week,” he said on Friday, April 20th. “We’re also looking forward to the final version of the federal legislation that we know is scheduled to be passed on June 7. There may be amendments that we’re not aware, we’re not sure of yet. We’re still waiting to see what the final bill looks like at the federal level, C-45, and of course Bill C-46, the impaired driving legislation is also waiting to be dealt with by the Senate. Obviously we’re have to wait and see what those amendments are.”

READ ALSO: 4-20: Pot activists continue their fight beyond legalization

Farnworth said B.C.’s NDP government will be looking closely at what the federal government does. “Of course, whatever they decide impacts us because we are operating within the federal government’s framework on the legislation the province will need to put into place.”

So where will the provincial government allow recreational pot to be sold here in B.C.?

“We’ve launched a public consultation process, with local government for example, on the retail system,” Farnworth told reporters. “The details of course will be in our legislation but we have made it clear that local communities will get a say in what kind of stores will be operating in their community, so for example it could be a government store, it could be a private store — some communities have said they don’t want any store, and we’re okay with that as well; we’re not going to be ramming stores down any community’s throat.”

Farnworth said hurdles will have to be jumped. “In order to have a retail outlet, you are going to have to get local government approval. If you don’t get local government approval, you will not be getting provincial government approval.”

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lies piled upon lies upon lies....just have one thing to say, mr lahey called, he wants his face back. you are not worthy.

At one point, someone did mention that it was like an ostrich with their head in the ground




The atmosphere in the room quickly became more hostile. Dr. Ian Mitchell, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of British Columbia, said an oncologist stood up and said she was ashamed of the CMA. Her comments were greeted with cheers, he said, while Blackmer was booed. Verbora said about 10 or 15 people stood to criticize the CMA’s position. “At one point, someone did mention that it was like an ostrich with their head in the ground,” he said.

Blackmer eventually left the conference and took to Twitter to express his displeasure. “It was a lost opportunity for an important conversation,” he wrote.




Jeff Blackmer@jblackmerMD

https://twitter.com/jblackmerMD/status/981967517546672129


Once the name calling, personal attacks, jeering and booing started at #CCIC2018 I decided it was time to leave. And all this from fellow physicians and HCP’s because they disagree with a policy position of @CMA_Docs. I’m embarrassed and ashamed for them. #professionalism

2:51 PM - Apr 5, 2018

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“I thought that his presentation was sensible and reasonable and he was given a very rough, rude ride,” said Dr. Alan Bell, a family physician and assistant professor at the University of Toronto. “I did not think it was appropriate, and I thought it was embarrassing to be part of the audience.”

Bell said the only source of disagreement between Blackmer and his audience was the question of a separate medical cannabis stream.

The CMA maintains there’s a lack of data about the benefits of cannabis. “What’s out there is primarily anecdotal,” Blackmer said. “The level of the research is very low and it’s for a very limited number of conditions.”

But Bell and others at the conference argue there’s a dearth of research simply because it’s hard to do, in part because cannabis producers don’t have the resources that pharmaceutical companies command. The CMA’s position only creates another barrier to research, Bell said.


Flowering medical marijuana plants are photographed at Canopy Growth’s Tweed location in Smiths Falls, ON, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Darren Brown / Postmedia
The number of medical marijuana patients recorded by the federal government has been increasing rapidly, up to more than 235,000 by the end of September 2017, despite the fact that cannabis doesn’t have drug approval from Health Canada. The government has suggested the existing regulatory framework for medical marijuana will remain largely unchanged once recreational pot is legal, despite the CMA’s stance.

But in the medical marijuana industry, some are concerned that once recreational pot is legal, medical cannabis users could simply switch over.

“It’s certainly a concern that people will stop seeing their doctors and health-care providers and just self-medicate through the new cannabis stores,” said Jonathan Zaid, founder of Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana, a non-profit organization. Zaid is campaigning to have the government lift the excise tax on medical cannabis and treat it more like other medications.

For medical cannabis, legitimacy is the name of the game as legalization approaches. A key part of that effort, according to Vahan Ajamian, a research analyst with Beacon Securities, is moving away from dried buds and getting medical pot “to look more like medicine.”

To that end, medical marijuana producer Tilray Inc. signed an agreement with pharmaceutical company Sandoz Canada in March, in part to develop non-smokable cannabis products like gel caps and sprays that look more like other types of medicine.

Verbora said the involvement of pharmaceutical companies will help drive research. One barrier medical cannabis producers face, he said, is that marijuana plants can’t be patented. “When you can’t patent a plant, you’re not going to do research,” he explained. But specialized delivery mechanisms — patches and capsules, for instance — could be patented. “We’re really just at the start of the pharmaceuticalization of this plant,” Verbora said.

There are also signs the insurance industry is warming up to medical pot. Currently, coverage is rare except for certain groups like veterans. But in February, Sun Life Financial added medical marijuana as an option for its group benefits plans, and Ajamian said other major insurers will likely follow suit.

• Nova Scotia court strikes down human rights decision over medical marijuana
• Medical marijuana users set lobbying push on federal cannabis tax proposal
• Doctors should think twice before prescribing medical marijuana: guideline

Moreover, pharmacy chains across the country are keen to distribute medical marijuana. Shoppers Drug Mart has signed agreements with five producers in anticipation of regulation changes that would allow it to sell the drug. In a statement, the company said that “pharmacists should play an important role in the safe and informed use of medical cannabis.”

Health Canada has said it’s open to discussing pharmacy distribution, but has not committed to the change. Still, Philippe Lucas, vice-president of patient research at Tilray, said he’s hopeful medical marijuana could be available in pharmacies by the summer of 2019.

“Pharmacists are drug experts, so they understand potential drug interactions, they understand patients’ needs when it comes to their drug therapy,” said Joelle Walker, director of public affairs with the Canadian Pharmacists Association, which supports the initiative.

It's going to be a different world post-legalization




Lucas said it’s important for patients to have a relationship with health-care providers who can recommend certain strains of cannabis for different conditions. “I’m worried that (patients) are going to have negative experiences in the recreational market,” he said.

Bell, who has a few dozen patients who use cannabis, believes pot legalization will help lift the stigma around medical marijuana.

“It’s going to be a different world post-legalization,” he said.

With files from the Canadian Press

There may be amendments that we’re not aware, we’re not sure of yet. We’re still waiting to see what the final bill looks like at the federal level, C-45, and of course Bill C-46, the impaired driving legislation is also waiting to be dealt with by the Senate. Obviously we’re have to wait and see what those amendments are.”

can you say IF and BUTT?

Well this guy claims Hell's Angels are growing medicine and somehow the registration process needs to change to fuck over innocent sick people. How do we arrange to throw excrement on his door everyday for the next year?

ya like the HA care about 40 g's worth of whining sick fucks..

spare us all

its "the others" who will make them rich fool!

You already shook their hand ! You're partners now

Quesque la fuck?

HotKarl2 said:

Well this guy claims Hell's Angels are growing medicine and somehow the registration process needs to change to fuck over innocent sick people. How do we arrange to throw excrement on his door everyday for the next year?

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Love how he's using the Hell's Angels as the bogeyman to scare people into letting the industry keep the process propped up through all these bullshit regulations and restrictions.

If not for those regulations, prices would fall to the point where there would be no need to worry about a black market!

If they want a list of organized crime figures in the medical cannabis industry, they need to look no farther than the Weedsel section of cannabiscandor.ca.

Regulators mount up: B.C. vows to crack down on illegal #cannabis dispensaries with help from government unit

@gb123 toadaso lol

gb123 said:

“It’s certainly a concern that people will stop seeing their doctors and health-care providers and just self-medicate through the new cannabis stores,” said Jonathan Zaid, founder of Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana, a non-profit organization. Zaid is campaigning to have the government lift the excise tax on medical cannabis and treat it more like other medications.

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....and this would be problematic why?....cannabis is supposed to the drug of last resort...why would you need to see your doc every 3 months when side effects are minimal to none and your medical condition is not expected to change? Once a year should be sufficient.

gb123 said:

To that end, medical marijuana producer Tilray Inc. signed an agreement with pharmaceutical company Sandoz Canada in March, in part to develop non-smokable cannabis products like gel caps and sprays that look more like other types of medicine.

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....awww....look at Tilray trying to help patients again....pffft....I wondered who would be first.

gb123 said:

We’re really just at the start of the pharmaceuticalization of this plant,” Verbora said.

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....sadly...

Legalization comes, access granted...”no medical value” bye bye

gb123 said:

The CMA maintains there’s a lack of data about the benefits of cannabis. “What’s out there is primarily anecdotal,” Blackmer said.

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Lame, Lame, Lame. I have never met anyone from the CMA so to me they are anecdotal. Who cares. When I have an attack of spasticity (clenching muscles) I smoke a joint and get instant relief. The doctor wants me to take a muscle relaxant which may or may not help a few hours LATER. I am currently boycotting going to my doctor because I feel it is just about money and garbage pharmaceuticals. I feel I get far better information from places like WebMD and a few others, anecdotal of course.

WHATFG said:

cannabis is supposed to the drug of last resort...why would you need to see your doc every 3 months when side effects are minimal to none and your medical condition is not expected to change? Once a year should be sufficient.

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Well someone who has a chronic condition like fibromyalgia or MS may disagree. According to our wonderful (sarcasm) medical industry there are no cures, they can only treat the symptoms. Kinda makes you wonder why one would need to renew any prescription for a chronic condition that clearly is not going to just go away someday.

bigmanc said:

Legalization comes, access granted...”no medical value” bye bye

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Pfft wont work. Look at the US states that legalized, they all were medical beforehand and kept rec and medical seperate. Being that our government was so eager to tout their trips to legal states for consultations, itll tighten the noose already around their necks if they try what you're proposing. It would have to supercede the precedence already set by the courts in our favor, over MANY instances since 2001. Good luck......

zoic said:

Well someone who has a chronic condition like fibromyalgia or MS may disagree. According to our wonderful (sarcasm) medical industry there are no cures, they can only treat the symptoms. Kinda makes you wonder why one would need to renew any prescription for a chronic condition that clearly is not going to just go away someday.

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Totally agree....I'm one of those people.

zoic said:

Well someone who has a chronic condition like fibromyalgia or MS may disagree. According to our wonderful (sarcasm) medical industry there are no cures, they can only treat the symptoms. Kinda makes you wonder why one would need to renew any prescription for a chronic condition that clearly is not going to just go away someday.

Click to expand...

tell my oncologist who lost out with his suggestion of Chemo and surgery, along with his down payment on his BMtroublyou
all due to anecdotal and while yer at it.Tell my GP and his GP wife who didnt believe until they saw cancer dissapear from my nose..FIRST Was enough for them BOTH to sign my papers.
and well..8 years later .STILL GOIN STRONG No thanks to my Oncologists suggestions..
with a diagnosis of............ "less than two years"...passed many years ago !!

PPPPHHHHTTTT .. Id stuff their case right up their asses with EASY. along with a few 1000 mg's of oil.
Might help them see the light..

anecdote this

When we loose our gardens nobodys funding that fight again and who’s going to wait another 4 years