VANCOUVER – Five things to know about the Supreme Court of Canada’s unanimous ruling that authorizes medical marijuana users to legally consume pot in such products as oils, tinctures, baked goods and tea:
1. Federal laws previously restricted licenced pot users to consuming dried marijuana. But the high court ruled the prohibition “limits liberty and security of the person in a manner that is arbitrary” and states the old law doesn’t agree with the principles of fundamental justice.
2. The case was sparked by the 2009 arrest of Owen Smith, the head baker for the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club. Smith was rising from bed when his mother phoned him to deliver the good news.
3. Implications are initially hazy for authorized marijuana producers. They say the court didn’t provide enough detail about who’s allowed to dish out edibles and extracts.
4. Medical marijuana users and their families are expressing relief. British Columbia mother Cheryl Rose’s daughter Hayley used to consume 15 capsules of dried cannabis daily. The 22-year-old, who suffers severe epilepsy, will now only require one concentrated capsule of oil.
5. The City of Vancouver’s proposal to ban the sale of edible products from marijuana dispensaries will stand. Council wants to regulate its host of illegal pot shops, but staff argues pot-infused treats are best deemed verboten because they appeal to children and contents are hard to control.
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