Pubdate: Wed, 15 Nov 2017
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2017 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Amy Smart
Page: A4
Referenced: http://mapinc.org/url/gD63r4YP
Referenced: http://mapinc.org/url/VP2qX7UP

DOCTORS ASK PROVINCE TO CONSIDER BAN ON CANNABIS GROWN AT HOME

Doctors of B.C. is asking the provincial government to consider
banning individuals from growing recreational pot at home when it
becomes legal in July.

The group was one of more than 130 stakeholders offering feedback to
the B.C. government as part of its consultation on cannabis regulation
and distribution.

The variety of submissions reflects the complex decisions government
faces.

Doctors of B.C. provided a list of "considerations" since there isn't
enough evidence to make a strong recommendation, said president-elect
Dr. Eric Cadesky.

"There isn't a consensus amongst doctors. The feedback we got
contained many different points of view."

He said that's because there are no clear guidelines on how to safely
grow and use cannabis.

Under federal Bill C-45, adults would be allowed to grow up to four
cannabis plants per household. Doctors of B.C. cited a Canadian
Medical Association recommendation that identified potential health
risks with home cultivation, such as high humidity and temperatures,
risk of fire and pesticide use.

Children might also have access to the plants and there's a lack of
quality control for potency.

The federal government has set July 1 as the date for marijuana
legalization and it's up to provinces to figure out how it will be
regulated and distributed in each province. That means determining
matters such as legal age for consumption, possession limits, home
cultivation rules and who will be allowed to sell marijuana.

B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth has said the government won't
have any word on regulation and distribution models before the spring
session of the legislature.

The B.C. Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police is asking for more
funding to support training for drug-recognition experts and field
sobriety testing for cannabis enforcement teams and a seed-to-sale
inspection strategy.

The police association also recommends pricing that is competitive
with the black market, setting the consumption age at 19 and creating
penalty structures for public consumption similar to alcohol.

It says only licensed commercial producers should be allowed grow
it.

The B.C. Pharmacists Association wants the province to crack down on
the use of the word "dispensaries," for non-medicinal pot shops.

Only facilities with a pharmacist should be able to distribute
medicinal marijuana, it said.

"B.C.'s community pharmacists believe our province is in a unique
position regarding the entrenched and far-reaching presence of
'medicinal' cannabis retailers. Unlike other provinces, where the
appearance of cannabis 'dispensaries' has been relatively recent, B.C.
has had pot retailers for many years in significant numbers," the
pharmacists association said.

"We are strongly of the view that B.C. has a responsibility to
advocate for a speedier timeline to implement a widely accessible
medicinal cannabis program through legitimate pharmacies," it said.

LandlordBC said it is concerned about the consumption and growing of
recreational marijuana in rental units. The organization says smoking
marijuana should be banned wherever tobacco is banned and that
landlords should have the power to ban it. Growing marijuana should be
banned in multi-unit dwellings and rented dwellings of any size, it
said.

LandlordBC is concerned that growing recreational pot at home could
create safety hazards because of electrical overloading and excess
humidity, might bother other tenants with the strong smell and create
potential liabilities for landlords.
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MAP posted-by: Matt