By Owen Smith
On Sunday, July 19th, Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre will host the 2015 Vancouver Cannabis Conference. With the city recently voting to regulate dispensaries and the Federal government maintaining their opposition: this year’s Federal election looms. Panels of experts have been formed to discuss the Medicinal Use of Cannabis; The Historical, Sacred, and Ceremonial Use of Cannabis; as well as Governmental Policy and Public Activism.
There will be special presentations from Emily Kirkham of Signoto a Canadian company focusing on analytical laboratory consulting for the Medical Marijuana industry. She specializes in method validation, quality control and training for Licensed Producers and Controlled Substance Laboratories; and also M.J. Milloy, a research scientist at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, he is the principal investigator of the ACCESS study of people living with HIV/AIDS who use drugs. He led the first research to show a link between daily use of cannabis and lower levels of virus in the bloodstream.
With the rapid advancement of cannabis regulations there is no better way to learn about it all in one place than by attending a conference lined with experts. I have the honour of performing the role of moderator amidst these three veteran groups of panellists.
The Medicinal Use panel Includes the voices of dispensary directors Dieter MacPherson & Dori Dempster, CAMCD president Jamie Shaw, researcher Zach Walsh and Philippe Lucas from the licensed producer Tilray.
The Historical, Sacred, and Ceremonial Use panel includes authors Stephen Grey, Chris Bennett, Ted Smith and David Malmo-Levine.
The Governmental Policy and Public Activism panel includes my lawyer Kirk Tousaw, Marc and Jodie Emery, UBC professor Mark Haden and Sensible BC director Dana Larsen.
It is sure to be an exciting event. The event starts at 9:00 AM Sunday morning and continues into the afternoon with an exhibition. There will be a question period after each panel discussion. Don’t miss your opportunity to meet many of the people who have succeeded in wrestling the cannabis issue from out of the shadows of prohibition.
There will also be several very special musical guests performing on the conference day including Vi-An, on Chinese Zither ‘zheng’ (jung), who will be joined by her husband Matt on the ‘Xaphoon’ woodwind instrument.
Enjoy this beautiful piece from their TED X YYC performance.
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Vi An
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Music from cosmic connection. Muses from every galaxy. Sounds from every breath become music from her fingertips strumming on various Asian long-plucked zither, harp-like instruments from Vietnam, Japan and China. Her full time musical career began in late ’97. Since released over 25+ albums including hundreds of compilations with artists around the world, featured in many documentary soundtracks and composes for many theatre/dance companies in Canada/US. Based out of NYC, YYC and YVR. Joined by husband Matt Hanson performing on various percussion and wind instruments, who currently performs with New York Andalus Ensemble!
