National

B.C. firm gets Health Canada's OK to sell cocaine

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Mar, 2023 04:12 PM

LANGLEY, B.C. - Health Canada has granted a British Columbia cannabis company the right to possess, produce, sell and distribute cocaine.

Adastra Labs says in a news release that Health Canada gave it approval on Feb. 17 for an amendment under its controlled substance dealer’s licence.

It says the amended licence allows the company to “interact” with up to 250 grams of cocaine and to import coca leaves in order to make and synthesize the substance.

Adastra CEO Michael Forbes says it will evaluate how the commercialization of the substance fits in with its business model in an effort to position itself to support the demand for a safe supply of cocaine.

Forbes says that “harm reduction is a critically important and mainstream topic,” and they are staying in the forefront of drug regulations.

Decriminalization of up to 2.5 grams of drugs, including cocaine, began in B.C. on Jan. 31, after the federal government approved the exemption as part of a plan to combat the overdose crisis that has killed thousands in the province.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Anand returns from Ukraine talks without tank deal

The Ukrainian government says it needs tanks to protect its troops and launch counter-offensives against Russian forces, particularly in the eastern part of the country. The Liberal government has not said whether Canada is open to sending some of its German-made Leopard 2 tanks.

Anand returns from Ukraine talks without tank deal

Police to release findings in B.C. bank shootout

A report released last month by B.C.'s police watchdog said officers fired as many as 100 rounds at Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie, who had semi-automatic rifles and were wearing body armour. Six officers were wounded, three of them with life-threatening injuries.

Police to release findings in B.C. bank shootout

Richmond RCMP execute search warrant for a fake lab, seize items such as blank ID cards and numerous computers

Richmond RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence of a suspected forgery lab. Items seized during the search included high end printers and laminators including those capable of forging security features in governmental identification and thousands of blank ID cards, and numerous electronic devices and computers.

Richmond RCMP execute search warrant for a fake lab, seize items such as blank ID cards and numerous computers

B.C. promises $50M to get at fire-damaged wood

The premier says the money would be funnelled through the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C., with the goal of keeping those in the industry working. The premier says the forestry industry is "clearly in crisis" and that means industry and government need to "find new ways of doing business."

B.C. promises $50M to get at fire-damaged wood

Feds to repatriate 19 Canadians from Syria: lawyer

Family members of the women and children, as well as four men, have been arguing in Federal Court that the government must arrange for their return, saying that refusing to do so violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Feds to repatriate 19 Canadians from Syria: lawyer

No deal without pharmacare bill, says NDP leader

New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says if the Liberal government does not introduce a pharmacare bill in the House of Commons this year, he will consider it a deal-breaker. Both parties signed a confidence-and-supply agreement last March, in which the NDP agreed to support the minority Liberal government in key votes until 2025.