Company's cocaine approval claim fuels Vancouver dispensary outrage

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.

Larsen's store at the Coca Leaf Café on East Hastings Street has been operating for two years. He opened a second location on West Broadway two weeks ago.

Larsen says his goal is to provide a safe supply of drugs – including LSD and cocaine – to addicts.

“We have a retail business licence,” says Larsen. “To be honest, we didn’t tell the licensing officials that we’d be selling psychedelics and mushrooms when we opened up.”

Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth shot back at Sturko’s comment, saying the City of Vancouver grants business licenses, not the province, and it's the city that is responsible for shutting down the store.

The city told CTV News the sale of psilocybin products such as magic mushrooms is not permitted. If it becomes aware of a retailer doing so, it would be subject to enforcment for operating without a valid permit.

Larsen says he has a court date with city about his permit.

"I don't think this is a crime, because I think in the same way we were operating cannabis shops before legalization, that wasn't a crime either," Larsen says. "Under the law right now, this is against the law, but I think that the law is what is illegal."