Island Health has sent a letter to Victoria dispensaries ordering them to stop producing and seling edibles – or face the consequences.
The health authority sent a letter to all Victoria dispensaries offering edibles following an inspection prompted by a complaint from the public.
A letter obtained by CTV News notes one dispensary was selling items like marijuana-infused brownies, Reese’s cups and other various candies.
“In Canada, there are no legal avenues by which marijuana can be obtained for sale or distribution to the public,” it reads. “Therefore, a food premises that prepares, sells and/or distributes marijuana edibles cannot be in compliance with the Food Premises Regulation.”
The letter goes on to say if inspectors find edibles for sale in the future at the shop, enforcement action will be taken.
Brandon Wright of Baked Edibles Inc. runs a dispensary that also produces edibles and distributes them across Canada.
Wright has 13 employees working for him, each one with full health benefits, but he says Island Health’s crackdown could put their jobs at risk.
“We source all of our cannabis from federally licenced growers, and we have that cannabis tested for impurities and all sorts of pesticides and anything that’s required to be food safe by a Health Canada-certified analytics laboratory,” he said. “All of our cannabis goes through more strict testing procedures than the food you eat on your kitchen table.”
The letter has asked dispensaries to remove any edible products immediately and take down any menu boards advertising them.
