What Does The VCBC Do?
The VCBC’s primary mandate is to provide safe access to medicinal cannabis and cannabis related products for its membership.
We strive to offer a wide range of dried cannabis, and kief hashes at reasonable prices to best serve each members needs and treatment requirements. Our members can expect a strong quality standard is applied to all our products sold for consumption.
As well as acting as a dispensary the VCBC is a community service provider. Our Vapour Lounge is a safe and comfortable environment for our members to consume their medicine while connecting with a diverse group of people in similar situations. Our Vapour Lounge is wheelchair accessible and has a Hospital Grade HEPA filtration system. A community posting board and news board allow members to connect and stay up to date with cannabis related news.
Through activism and education we strive to further the legalization and regulation of cannabis from the municipal to the federal level. We assist both members and public navigate the the MMAR application process and provide the required paperwork to any who ask.
We sell hand blown local pipes and tokestones as well as hemp and flax based rolling papers of all sizes. We also offer a wide selection of vapourizers at or near cost.
“It is unsettling to contemplate persons with AIDS or who are undergoing Cancer treatment being forced to go down to the drug emporium which operates in the downtown core of Victoria to acquire their marijuana from persons who are interested only in selling them drugs of unknown quality for profit. But on January 3 2002, but for compassion clubs such as Mr. Smith’s that was their only alternative.”
Justice L.F Chaperon
Reasons For Judgement
Sept 7, 2004
Health Canada & The MMAR
In 2001, Health Canada enacted a preliminary set of “marihuana medical access regulations” (MMAR). As of January 8th, 2010 4884 persons hold an Authorization to Possess dried marihuana under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations. These regulations were in response to an Ontario Court of Appeal finding that banning marijuana for medicinal purposes violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The MMARs, as enacted, were designed to establish a framework to allow the use of marijuana for the relief of pain, nausea and other symptoms by people suffering from serious illness where conventional treatments had failed. These same regulations have been ruled unconstitutional by the Court of Appeal of Ontario twice, along with lower court decisions across Canada. After more then 8 years and tens of millions of dollars, the MMAR is still unavailable to most end users of medicinal cannabis in Canada.
We advocate for the licensing of our members under the MMAR program whenever possible by providing both the MMAR paperwork as well as information and guidance on how to navigate through the process. Its is our belief that everyone who qualifies for our club is eligible to obtain legal protection to possess cannabis under this program.
At General Council in 2003, Canadian Medical Association delegates passed the following motions:
That Canadian Medical Association strongly oppose the use of marijuana for medical reasons in the absence of supporting scientific evidence.
That Canadian Medical Association recommends that physicians not participate in the dispensing of medical marijuana under the existing Medical Marijuana Access Regulations.
Although the CMA has since taken a more neutral stance on this matter most doctors across canada refuse to help patients access the MMAR program.
Unfortunately we are unable to refer members to doctors willing to assist with this paperwork. We are also not able to assist in the location of designated growers do to the legal and financial issues involved.
How Can Cannabis Be Consumed?
‘
There are four basic methods of consumption of cannabis: smoking, vaporizing, orally, and topically.
Smoking cannabis releases the active components through combustion which are absorbed through the lungs into the blood stream. Smoking cannabis is the fastest acting method but one should consider the health concerns involved. Inhaling superheated gases and particulate is by no means the healthiest solution.
Vaporizing cannabis causes the active ingredients to evaporate into a gas without burning the plant material. A lower proportion of carbon monoxide and other unwanted chemicals are released than by smoking. A finer control of temperature allows specific targeting of cannibinoids to be released offering a tailored therapeutic effect.
Oral consumption of cannabis differs in bioavailability characteristics and effects compared to smoking. The effect takes longer to begin and is typically longer-lasting. This method of consumption can offer the best option for managing chronic pain and it’s related sleep problems while avoiding the need for expensive equipment or privacy issues. The club strives to offer the widest variety of edibles possible while maintaining affordability for it’s members.
Topically cannabis has a long a varied history.
Cannabis is a strong analgesic(pain killer), anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxant even when applied to the skin. The club offers both salves ,and massages oils of many varieties to treat a wide range of ailments.
For an in depth look at our edible and topical items please reference our Product Guide.
