BUYER BEWARE: THE CANNABIS MARSHMALLOW TREAT

WHERE CAN YOU BUY IT?

This marshmallow treat is widely available at Ottawa’s illegal dispensaries, which also sell cookies, candies, and pop. It sells for around $15.

Mary’s Medibles, one of several companies in B.C. that distribute products to dispensaries across Canada. The identity of Mary is somewhat of a mystery, which is not surprising given that Mary runs an illegal business. The company website does not include a phone number. A query sent to the email address was not answered. A google map on the page indicates that Mary’s HQ is in downtown Vancouver.

The label claims the treat is made in a “licensed and inspected” facility as well as being “lab tested” and “patient approved.” The website provides no further details, but offers this reassurance:

“Due to the high levels of processing and control we adhere to in our licensed food safe facilities you can be sure that you are getting the very best from Mary’s products.”

Health Canada says it does not regulate the products sold at illegal dispensaries, which it warns could be unsafe.

It’s not hard to operate a clandestine edibles bakery, says a man who has worked at several in B.C. but doesn’t want his name used.

The operations range from kitchens in residential houses to commercial-level facilities in industrial buildings, he said. Most have packaging rooms, so the products look professional, with company names and labels.

WHAT’S IN IT?

There is a list of ingredients, but customers must take the company’s word for its accuracy. There is even nutritional information that follows a format similar to what’s provided for legal products. Good news! This treat apparently contains a gram of fibre, and four per cent of your daily requirement for Vitamin A.

The label says it should be refrigerated, advice that was not followed at the Bank Street pot shop where it was sold.

HOW STRONG IS IT?

There are 140 milligrams of THC in this “triple strength” treat, according to the label. That’s enough to get you really high, said the helpful clerk at the shop.

A “single serving” of an edible product sold at legal marijuana shops in Colorado contains 10 mg of THC. So, if the label is correct, this treat would contain 14 servings. The label advises consumers to start with one-quarter of the treat, which would be 35 mg. But the label also identifies a “serving size” as the entire container.

In any case, customers have no assurance of how much THC the treat actually contains. One of the biggest challenges for legal edible manufacturers is obtaining a consistent dose in products. At illegal kitchens, batches are usually made with cannabis-infused oil or butter.

Some of the illegal bakers try hard to produce quality products, and have cannabis oils tested for potency and contaminants at private, non Health Canada-licensed labs, say representatives for dispensaries.

At others, “it’s a total crapshoot,” says the source.

“You could have a 19-year-old mixing up your edibles, and nothing is properly measured or distributed.”