A Langley-based cannabis company乌鸦传媒檚 announcement that it has received federal government permission to produce up to 250 grams of cocaine caused a political furor in B.C. on Thursday, but the company won乌鸦传媒檛 be selling it to the public.

A press release issued Feb. 22 said that last year, Adastra Holdings received an amendment to its Controlled Drug and Substance Dealer乌鸦传媒檚 Licence that allowed it to 乌鸦传媒渋nteract with乌鸦传媒� up to 250 grams of cocaine, and to import coca leaves to manufacture and synthesize cocaine.

The licence was originally granted last year, and allowed Adastra to produce psilocybin and psilocin, the substances found in 乌鸦传媒渕agic mushrooms.乌鸦传媒� Those types of psychoactive drugs are being increasingly used in therapeutic contexts, largely in ongoing studies.

Although the licence was issued by Health Canada, a federal agency, the press release references the recent decriminalization in B.C. of small amounts of hard drugs for personal use. The decriminalization, authorized by Ottawa, is aimed at reducing overdose deaths, and does not legalize the sale or production of cocaine, heroin, or fentanyl.

乌鸦传媒淗arm reduction is a critically important and mainstream topic, and we are staying at the forefront of drug regulations across the board,乌鸦传媒� said Michael Forbes, CEO of Adastra said in the release. 乌鸦传媒淲e proactively pursued the amendment to our Dealer乌鸦传媒檚 Licence to include cocaine back in December 2022. We will evaluate how the commercialization of this substance fits in with our business model at Adastra in an effort to position ourselves to support the demand for a safe supply of cocaine.乌鸦传媒�

Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag spoke with officials at Health Canada, and confirmed that the cocaine is not intended for commercial sale, but for research purposes.

乌鸦传媒淭hey cannot sell the products directly to the general public,乌鸦传媒� he said.

A statement from Health Canada on Friday, March 3 clarified the scope of Adastra乌鸦传媒檚 licence.

乌鸦传媒淎dastra Labs is licensed by Health Canada for this controlled substance for scientific and medical purposes only,乌鸦传媒� the statement said. They can only sell to other labs that have identical licences, pharmacists, hospitals, or holders of a special government exemption for research purposes.

乌鸦传媒淗ealth Canada has contacted the company to reiterate the very narrow parameters of their licence,乌鸦传媒� the statement said. 乌鸦传媒淚f the strict requirements are not being followed, Health Canada will not hesitate to take action, which may include revoking the licence.乌鸦传媒�

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The announcement, particularly Forbes乌鸦传媒� suggestion that cocaine production would be commercialized, drew swift reaction from multiple B.C. politicians.

NDP Premier David Eby was asked about the announcement and how it fit into the government乌鸦传媒檚 approach to mental health and addictions.

乌鸦传媒淭he short answer is that I was astonished by this announcement,乌鸦传媒� Eby said at a press conference on Thursday.

乌鸦传媒淚t is not part of our provincial plan,乌鸦传媒� Eby continued. 乌鸦传媒淚f Health Canada did in fact do this, they did it no only without engaging with the province, but without notice to us.乌鸦传媒�

He said they would get answers from Health Canada about the issue.

BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon also raised the issue during in the Legislature, asking 乌鸦传媒渨hat on Earth is going on here?乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淣ow, since the NDP decriminalized hard drugs like cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine, this company乌鸦传媒檚 stock price has doubled,乌鸦传媒� Falcon said later in the debate. 乌鸦传媒淏ut let乌鸦传媒檚 be really clear here. Cocaine isn乌鸦传媒檛 prescribed. It isn乌鸦传媒檛 safe. This is wrong. Commercializing cocaine as a business opportunity amounts to legalizing cocaine trafficking, full stop. So why has this Premier allowed for the commercialization of cocaine?乌鸦传媒�

Solicitor General Mike Farnworth replied for the government, defending the new regulations that decriminalize small amounts of hard drugs for personal use, while also indicating that the NDP didn乌鸦传媒檛 condone or plan to authorize commercial sales of cocaine.

乌鸦传媒淭his is not and never has been about legalizing cocaine or encouraging it for commercial distribution, despite whatever the member乌鸦传媒檚 reading from乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮�媒� Farnworth said, before noise in the Legislature cut him off.

Later, responding to Liberal MLA Elenore Sturko, Farnworth said whatever licence Adastra had was not done in consultation with the province, and decriminalization aside, cocaine remains an illegal substance.

乌鸦传媒淲e do not support the commercialization of cocaine in British Columbia or the country,乌鸦传媒� Farnworth said. 乌鸦传媒淚f the federal government has granted a licence, then they should be taking it up with the federal government. They乌鸦传媒檙e the ones who made that licence.乌鸦传媒�

Licences to produce psychoactive drugs like psylocibin have only recently been granted as the drugs are being increasingly used in a therapeutic context. They are not for sale commercially like cannabis or alcohol.