Company's cocaine approval claim fuels Vancouver dispensary outrage
CTV
A B.C. company's announcement that it has received Health Canada approval to possess, produce, sell and distribute cocaine prompted outrage at the provincial legislature Thursday.
A B.C. company's announcement that it has received Health Canada approval to possess, produce, sell and distribute cocaine prompted outrage at the provincial legislature Thursday.
While some of the anger was directed at the federal agency and the company, Adastra Labs, attention also quickly turned to a Vancouver storefront that has been distributing illicit drugs for the last two years.
Asked for his reaction to the cocaine approval, Premier David Eby said he was shocked by the decision.
"The short answer is I was astonished by this announcement. I understand that this company says Health Canada has given them some sort of authorization. It is not part of our provincial plan,” he said, referring to the province's recent decriminalization of small amounts of hard drugs.
“If Health Canada did in fact do this, they did it not only without engaging with the province but without notice to us."
The Opposition Liberals also slammed the federal decision, but sought to paint the governing B.C. NDP as at least partly responsible.
During question period, Liberal MLA Elenore Sturko blamed the NDP government for allowing a brick-and-mortar illicit drug store to operate in Vancouver, a reference to the Medicinal Mushroom Dispensary, a store run by Dana Larsen that recently expanded.