Dispensary Opening in Rossland

By Sara Golling

On Wednesday, October 5, a new store opens its doors in the Mountain Kingdom.  The Rossland Dispensary will be the newest addition to Rossland's business community.

What IS a marijuana dispensary?

 A marijuana dispensary does not sell marijuana for recreational use; the products are available only to people who have been prescribed a cannabis product to relieve a medical condition.  Proprietor Jeff Weaver, who lives in Rossland with his wife and two young children,  stresses that responsible use of cannabis products is key to a good outcome -- both for users and for his business. 

Weaver's dispensary is in the basement of the Velvet Building at the corner by the flashing light, and access will be off the lane  from the south side, rather than by way of the long stairway down from Columbia Avenue,  to make it easier for customers with mobility issues. 

The RCMP are aware of the business, and Weaver has a brand-new business license from the City of Rossland. 

Marijuana's varied effects:

What is the medical value of marijuana?   Opinions vary, and there still has not been as much high-quality research on the medical benefits and other effects of marijuana and its component active ingredients (cannabinoids) as there has been on the effects of many other, less contentious, drugs.  However,  more research is being done, and there seems to be agreement among many oncologists and pain specialists that cannabinoids can reduce chronic pain, eliminate nausea, and stimulate appetite. 

Cannabidiol also has anti-convulsant properties, and medical marijuana is used by epileptics to control seizures.

Cannabinoids act to relax muscle tissue, relieving spasms.  A 2005 study found anti-inflammatory properties in cannabis.

 Some people use cannabis to relieve insomnia, and others use it to reduce the intraocular pressure of glaucoma. 

People suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) may find relief from many of their symptoms with cannabis treatment. 

There is some evidence that cannabinoids possess anti-cancer properties. 

The information above and much more can all be gleaned from a tome entitled "The Pot Book, A Complete Guide to Cannabis" edited by Julie Holland, M.D.; so can some of the information below about  less desirable effects from over-use.  

Information about other effects is included, not as a comment on the new dispensary or its products, but only as a caution for readers who are recreational users, and a few who naively regard marijuana as a panacea -- a "cure-all" with no potential harmful effects at all.  Mentioning marijuana tends to have a polarizing effect on some people -- there are those who don't want to recognize that it has medical benefits, even though they are now well-accepted,  while others don't want to recognize any potential for harm.   

As with any drug that has diverse properties and potent effects, there can be adverse effects from over-use.  Heavy smoking of marijuana can result in pulmonary problems; some people suffer adverse effects from any type of smoking.  Weaver points out that this is one of the reasons for the development of more edible products.  There have been reports of heavy recreational use of marijuana triggering psychosis, especially in younger users -- people in their teens and early twenties.  Younger users can develop "deviant brain structure" and decreased intelligence.  Marijuana use can result in impaired driving skills, and in about 10% of users, dependence.  Women who are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, should be aware that marijuana use while pregnant may result in early labour, and in "cognitive and behavioural abnormalities" in their offspring.   

As Weaver pointed out, no responsible physician will prescribe marijuana products for teens, or for pregnant women, so he will not be supplying products to vulnerable people. 

Weaver referred to a recent statement from the Canadian Medical Protective Association about the regulation and the effects of marijuana, and to a study by a professor of psychobiology at Harvard Medical School which also examines the uses and effects of marijuana and its components.  Weaver also mentioned a recent statement from the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons, advising physicians that anyone under the age of 25 should not use marijuana.   Links are included for anyone who wishes to learn more.

A  recent study from the Georgetown University Medical Center  calls for more research on the effects of marijuana use on fetal development, because of "worrisome" effects noticed in animal research. 

"We know from limited human studies that use of marijuana in early pregnancy is associated with many of the same risks as tobacco, including miscarriage, birth defects, developmental delays and learning disabilities, but animal research suggests the potential for many more developmental issues linked with the drug," said the study's senior investigator, G. Ian Gallicano, PhD, an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology at Georgetown.  The researchers pointed out six different areas of concern, one of which was that cannabinoids interfere with the body's use of folic acid, which has long been known to be necessary for fetal development. Another was that  "THC readily crosses the human placenta."   This study also mentioned the potential use of cannabinoids to fight cancer -- not just to relieve symptoms.

The products:

Weaver's product lines wil inlcude flower,  edible items, oils, and concentrates.

The bottom line: 

There are many medical uses for cannabinoids, and many anecdotal reports -- apart from studies -- indicate that often cannabinoids can fulfil a medical need better, and with fewer and less harmful side effects, than other pharmaceuticals.  With further research, more medical uses for cannabinoids may be developed.  Any drug can be over-used or abused, and can cause damage.  Marijuana is no different than aspirin in that regard, except that an overdose of aspirin may be more dangerous.    

Weaver emphasizes that responsible use is key, and that he is a responsible member of Rossland's business community.  Locals who need a cannabis product to treat a medical condition, and have a prescription,  will now be able to obtain it  from The Rossland Dispensary.

This story is from the Rossland Telegraph.