'Shatter' drug discovered in Delta home invasion
CBC News | Posted: August 9, 2015 6:27 PM | Last Updated: August 19, 2015
The potent drug is widely available at dispensaries across the Lower Mainland
A recent police incident in the Lower Mainland revealed a relatively new drug being manufactured and made available for sale in the region.
Officers in Delta, B.C. discovered a drug lab making "shatter," a powerful marijuana-derived drug, while responding to what they say was a targeted break-and-enter on the 5200-block of Fourth Avenue on July 27.
As a precaution, five surrounding homes were evacuated.
Police say three men between 19 and 30 years-old will likely face drug-related charges in connection to the drug lab. They don't believe the incident was gang-related.
Shatter available at Vancouver dispensaries
Shatter is available at marijuana dispensaries in the Lower Mainland.
"It's a concentrate. It's like marijuana oil or butter, just in a crystallized form" said Corina, an employee at a dispensary in Vancouver.
She said users take a small hit of the potent drug — a dab — which can be inhaled in vapourized form, from a device called a rig.
"It is definitely a stronger high," she said.
"A dab hit would be a couple joints — two to five joints, and you get more of a quick, intense high rather than taking your time smoking a joint."
She said shatter is "pretty common" in dispensaries in Vancouver.
"A lot of them will have dab bars where they use shatter butter and oils."
She also said a separate license or prescription isn't necessary to buy it.
Clarifications:- CBC News spoke to the dispensary employee on background for this story. This version has been updated to remove some names. August 19, 2015 6:15 PM