The founder of the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club is speaking out about impending regulations and taxation on cannabis -- saying the rush to legalize recreational pot will have negative impacts on medical users and they have been left out of the discussion.
Ted Smith says the federal and provincial government are looking to "hyper-regulate" and over-tax cannabis which will lead to accessibility and cost issues for people who need it for health reasons:
"My concern is with patients that use this medicine to even stay alive, but certainly to maintain their health. And they are being basically lumped in with recreational users in this system. There's nothing that gives them access to the quality and type of products they've been used to and using for years."
Smith says the coming regulations could limit the concentrations of the active ingredients in cannabis - like THC -- which would affect cancer patients and others who need higher concentrations to fight their medical problems.