Consuming pot-infused edibles has not been made legal, but that didn't stop someone from leaving them out in public as samples.
Jas Johal, Liberal MLA for Richmond-Queensborough, is sounding the alarm after cannabis-laced candies were left on car windshields in downtown Vancouver where a marijuana expo was held over the weekend.
"If I had left this in my home and my child saw it, they would probably have eaten it without asking," he said.
The label suggests the candies are available at Earth's Edibles and includes a link to the company's website, but the owner said they did not distribute the samples.
"The candies that were given out are not even sold by us. Why would we promote a product that is not ours?" owner Adam Osborne told CTV News.
Addressing Johal's concern, he said, "Our site clearly shows that kids aren’t our focus. We focus on people who have long-term pain and illnesses."
The Earth's Edibles website does show pot-laced candies but the packaging appears different and the gummies aren't the same as the samples handed out.
Johal said regardless of who is responsible, it shouldn't have happened in the first place.
"The onus is on the provincial government to make sure there's enough scare so companies don't do this," he said.
In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Public Safety wrote, "Leaving samples of cannabis edibles on a car windshield where they could be accessed by children is irresponsible and dangerous. It is currently illegal under the federal Cannabis Act to commercially manufacture or sell cannabis edibles. "
Organizers of the cannabis expo, Lift & Co., said they also condemn such actions.
"We worked closely with regulators to ensure our show was compliant with applicable laws. Ultimately, this underscores the need for increased cannabis education, especially with the expected legalization of cannabis edibles later this year," said Nick Pateras in a statement to CTV News.
Experts said children experience bigger risks when ingesting cannabis, including increased heart rate, psychosis and panic attacks.
Like medication and other substances, safety advocates suggest keeping cannabis products out of reach of kids in child-proof containers and not consuming the drugs in front of them.
