Dose control key to safe cannabis use

Re There are safer ways to explore cannabis use, June 11

Dr. Peter Selby got two things right in his article when it comes to safe cannabis use: “Aim for a much lower dose. And try to buy from a licensed producer rather than off the street.”

The impending passage of Bill C-45 will allow Canadians to seek the natural wellness benefits of cannabis from pain relief to sleep aid. However, in its current form, the legislation leaves out a critical component when it comes to predictable and repeatable experiences with cannabis — dose control.

Concentrates and vaporizers are a proven method of controlling dose, and will not be included in the government ruling this summer. Not allowing Canadians regulated access to these tools is comparable to prescribing medicine without proper instruction on how much should be taken.

As with any plant-based medicine, the chemical makeup of cannabis can change based on how it’s grown. By concentrating and processing cannabis you have greater control of the active ingredients in the plant. This allows providers to create formulations that can deliver specific health benefits.

There is incredible potential to provide safe and effective solutions to help people manage their own wellness, as long as the government is willing to include vaporizers and concentrates under this bill.

Until then, the highest health benefits of cannabis will remain unavailable in Canada. Josh Campbell, president of cannabis company dosist, Vancouver Thank you Dr. Peter Selby for providing some frank and practical advice to adults wanting to try marijuana, without disrespecting our choice to use it or not. Why aren’t we talking to our kids about it like this?

We have given similar advice to our teenaged daughters — not just how to say no, but also practical advice on how to use it, what to expect and what precautions to take — because we know they are exposed to it.

Because of this, they have a healthy relationship with drugs (and alcohol and sex) unlike many of their friends. They are certainly not learning this information in school. Information is power. It’s time we offered our children the same opportunity to make informed choices Dr. Selby offers us. Judith Librach, Toronto