BC IMPOSES MASSIVE $6.5 MILLION FINE AGAINST VICTORIA CANNABIS BUYERS CLUB

For Immediate Release

Thurs Feb 10, 2022

BC IMPOSES MASSIVE FINE AGAINST VICTORIA CANNABIS BUYERS CLUB

Victoria, B.C.: A whopping $6.5 million dollar in fines have been issued to the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club (VCBC) and its founder, Ted Smith, by the BC Solicitor General following two raids on the organization in 2019 and 2020. Starting in 1996, the VCBC is Canada’s oldest medical cannabis club with over 8,500 patients that rely on its low cost, high quality products. Current and former members of the board of directors have been informed that they will be held accountable if the society fails to pay the fine

*Photo by Matt Love, CSU Raid in November 2019.*

The BC Cannabis Control and Licensing Act gives the province the ability to impose fines for non-compliance with the legal recreational scheme. Using a formula that adds the estimated value of seized products and sales over a period of timeand then doubles the number to determine the fine. The executive director of the Community Safety Unit, Jamie Lipp, has issued a fine of $3,235,465.74 to the society. A separate fine of the same amount has been issued to Ted Smith.

Legalization has been a step backwards for patients across Canada. Thousands of dispensaries have been shut down across the country, leaving patients without access to the high-dosage, low-cost cannabis products they had access to for years under prohibition. Late last year, the Montreal Green Cross (La Croix Verte) was raided and shut down, forcing many of their members to desperately turn to us for help, across the country, because there is nothing left in French-speaking Canada that can adequately meet their medical needs.

Medical cannabis storefronts are not licensed by either level of government and employees in legal recreational stores are not allowed to give advice to cancer patients, people trying to cut down opiate use or who use cannabis for any medical purpose. The VCBC has refused to shut its doors and leave its patients without the medicines they require at prices they can afford, especially in the midst of an opiate crisis and a global pandemic.

There is an opportunity to apply for a hearing to dispute the fine. Discussions with lawyers about possible options are underway but no firm plan has been established yet. A GOFUNDME campaign has been started to assist the club in paying for these legal expenses. If you are able to support our cause, we are raising funds to cover the cost of legal fees moving forward to combat these fines raised against our small compassion club.

As of 4pm on Feb 10th, The GoFundMe account has been taken down for violation of Terms of Service for engaging in “Prohibited Conduct”

Too bad saving the lives of patients is against their terms of service.

If you are able please send donations by Interac E-transfer to:

savethevcbc@gmail.com.

For a readable .pdf of the fine the CSU has imposed against the VCBC, click here:

Notice of Monetary Penalty Against the VCBC Jan 24_2022.pdf

For more information on how you can support the club or for media requests, please contact Ted Smith by phone at 250-415-1063 or by email at hellovcbc@gmail.com.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

The VCBC Team