MPs studying pot bill hear from experts on edibles, medical marijuana

MPs studying the government’s legal cannabis legislation hear from experts on edibles and medical marijuana in day 5 of the House of Commons hearings on Bill C-45.

CBCNews.ca is streaming the House of Commons health committee meeting live.

• Cannabis black market will ‘thrive’ without an inclusive legal industry, MPs hear
• ‘We don’t have the luxury of time’: MPs urged to push forward with legal pot despite calls to slow down

Black market will continue to ‘thrive’

The committee is holding five full days of hearings this week.

On Thursday, MPs were warned the cannabis black market will continue to “thrive” should the legal industry not be made inclusive.

Trina Fraser, a partner at Brazeau Seller LLP law firm, urged the committee to consider “amnesty provisions” for individuals with prior cannabis offences to allow access to the legal market.

Growing flowers of cannabis intended for the medical marijuana market are shown at OrganiGram in Moncton, N.B., on April 14, 2016. The Trudeau government has earmarked just over $274 million to support policing and border efforts associated with the plan to legalize recreational marijuana use.The government said Friday it is committing $161 million of the money to train frontline officers in how to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug-impaired driving and to provide access to drug screening devices. (Ron Ward/Canadian Press)

“If we fail to create an inclusive cannabis industry the black market will thrive and if it thrives cannabis will continue to be easily accessible to minors. The public health and safety objective of restricting access to unregulated cannabis products will be compromised and we will continue to place an unnecessary burden on the criminal justice system,” said Fraser.

In its current form, Bill C-45 would allow the minister to refuse the granting of a licence or permit should an applicant have contravened the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the past 10 years.

Call for border crossing agreement with U.S.

Thursday afternoon, NDP health critic Don Davies called on the Liberals to begin talks with the U.S. for an agreement ensuring free travel over the border following the legalization of recreational cannabis next summer.

“No Canadian should be turned away from the border for participating in activities which are legal in this country,” Davies said in a statement.

In recent years, reports have surfaced of Canadian citizens being denied entry to the U.S. for simply admitting to consuming marijuana in the past.

“Witnesses testifying on this bill have been unanimous that without an agreement with the U.S., Canadians will be put in a terrible position of having to either lie to border officials or be denied entry,” said Davies. “The negative consequences of this will span from ruining family vacations to a serious barrier for trade and business over the border.”

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cannabis-medical-marijuana-edibles-dispensary-1.4291249?cmp=rss