Pubdate: Wed, 25 Jan 2012
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Louise Dickson

TRUST A KEY INGREDIENT OF CANNABIS COOKIES, COURT TOLD

A cannabis expert agreed Tuesday that people eating medical marijuana 
cookies would have to trust their baker.

David Pate, who holds a masters degree in biology and a PhD in 
pharmaceutical chemistry, agreed with Health Canada's information for 
health-care professionals, which states that precise dosages of 
cannabis have not been established.

"The complex pharmacology of cannabinoids, interindividual 
differences in cannabinoid bioavailability, prior exposure to and 
experience with cannabis, the variable potency of the plant material, 
and different dosing regimens used in different research studies all 
contribute to the difficulty in reporting precise doses or 
establishing uniform dosing schedules," Crown prosecutor Peter Eccles 
read into the court record.

"Natural products all have that foible," said Pate, who was 
testifying at the trial of Owen Edward Smith, the head baker for the 
Cannabis Buyers' Club of Canada.

Smith 29, was charged on Dec. 3, 2009, with possession for the 
purpose of trafficking THC and unlawful possession of marijuana after 
the manager of an apartment building complained to police about a 
strong smell wafting through the building. Police obtained a search 
warrant and discovered that the suite was being used as a bakery. 
Officers recovered substantial quantities of cannabis-infused olive 
and grapeseed oil, as well as pot cookies, destined for sale through the club.

Smith has launched a constitutional challenge against Health Canada's 
medical-marijuana access regulations. His defence lawyer, Kirk 
Tousaw, is challenging the validity of the Controlled Drugs and 
Substances Act regarding marijuana. Tousaw is arguing that the 
medical marijuana program is unduly restrictive and constitutionally 
flawed because those authorized to use medical marijuana can possess 
it only in dried form.

Health Canada has rough dosing guidelines for smoked or vaporized 
marijuana, said Eccles. But the health-care guidelines indicate that 
absorbing marijuana in baked goods, such as cookies or brownies, or 
drinking it in tea is slow and erratic.

"I would agree with the slow and erratic," said Pate. "I will also 
contend that dosing is more reliable orally than by smoking it."

Pate said he would be more comfortable taking a known oral dose than 
a smoked dose.

"But this is cannabis. There are no catastrophic consequences," he said.

Eccles also pointed to information in the Health Canada literature 
that cautions patients with no prior marijuana experience to begin at 
a very low dose and to stop therapy if unacceptable side effects 
occur. He suggested the manufacturer of edible products may not know 
exactly what's in them.

"For example, people could be eating a cookie with five to seven 
different strains of marijuana in it. You'd have to trust the baker," 
said Eccles.

"You'd have to trust the baker ... And you're along for the ride," Pate said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom