Edible pot treats should be banned, says Vancouver Coastal Health
No other medicines are allowed in a candy or baked good format, says Dr. Patricia Daly
Vancouver Coastal Health's chief medical officer is reiterating her support for a ban on edible marijuana baked goods and other treats as city council prepares to finalize regulations on Vancouver's illegal pot dispensaries today.
The city had originally proposed a ban, but it is now considering allowing dispensaries to stock oils after a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling found that medicinal marijuana is legal in all forms.
Dr. Patricia Daly says she supports the city's proposed regulation of illegal pot dispensaries, which should meet the needs of those who want to smoke medical marijuana, as well as consume it in the form of oils, tinctures and capsules.
However, she wants a ban on edibles that are packaged as candies or baked goods because they pose a health danger to youth.
"There's no other medicine — including medicine used for people in intractable pain or cancer — that companies are allowed to format in the form of candy or baked goods that might appeal to children," she told The Early Edition's Stephen Quinn.
"So this is not something we would ever permit for any other medicine, nor would we permit for other recreational drugs like alcohol or tobacco, for example."
Daly, who supports legalizing and strictly regulating marijuana, says recent evidence from the United States noted that edible pot was responsible for at least 2,000 reports of poisoning of children under the age of six.
Edible pot can cause serious effects in children, like coma, seizures, and even stop their breathing, said Daly.
"That's occurring even in states that require childproof containers and labeling on their products, so that's clearly not sufficient," she said.
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association, however, is calling for the regulation of edible pot, saying the proper packaging and labeling would make the products as unattractive and inaccessible to children as possible.
Listen to the full interview: Dr. Patricia Daly weighs in on medical marijuana products