Table 4.
Current Users’ representative quotes on problems in getting access to cannabis after legalization
| Theme | Representative Quotes | Frequency | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specific items from dispensaries not available | - -Very hard to get CBD oil. | - 16 | - 0.36 |
| - -The removal of CBD and topicals from the dispensary is stupid and cruel and harming people who need it. | |||
| - -Since cannabis has been legalized it is impossible to get certain products, or preferred brands. | |||
| - -Suppositories not legal and won’t be in 100 mg doses when it becomes legal. | |||
| - -Other than the gummies I can’t get anymore, so I switched to oil. | |||
| - -Hard to source good edibles with consistent dosage. | |||
| - -Hard to find eatables. | |||
| - -Hard time getting stronger dosages. | |||
| - -Getting CBD was hard at first, everyone was producing THC now it is easy to get. | |||
| - -Edibles were banned from dispensaries, plus tonics. | |||
| - -Edibles used to be available but now have stopped. | |||
| - -Edibles (chocolates, etc.) no longer available; I make my own using oils. | |||
| - -Do not smoke, quit over 2 years ago. Would use edibles more if they were legal and more easily available. Use oil if available. Know a person that has medical, but doctors not get anymore. | |||
| - -Because I can’t smoke it anymore and edibles are illegal. | |||
| - -A little, edibles should be legalized now. | |||
| - -January 2019 - no legal access in my city for legal drug! I can’t find edibles and that’s what I want | |||
| Issues with dispensaries and access to products | - -Increased demand = decreased supply inconvenience of many dispensaries not licensed, Lack of access to licensed provider /lack of access to standardized product need/waiting high dose CBD difficult to find. | - 15 | - 0.34 |
| - -Slow delivery. | |||
| - -The dispensary in my residential neighborhood is closed - inconvenient to go to another location for it. | |||
| - -With licensing, reliable distributors closed down and sub-par, criminal-run dispensaries were left open only since recreational use was legalized!!! Prior to legalization I had 3 good sources in my city but they were forced to close. I traveled to Kamloops to get some product but they were out of what I needed. There should be some special need recognized for the use of medical cannabis! There was no problem with quality of the cannabis I use for medical purposes - nobody refines that stuff in their basement. I tried ordering it online and that was an exercise in futility! We NEED better access to it for medical use. And be more affordable. Thank you. (I will not give my $ to these establishments). | |||
| - -Legally, not enough access. | |||
| - -Licensed producer (BC Gov) often has supply issues. | |||
| - Initially I was able to buy the THC Pheonix tears through a dispensary. After it was legalized the dispensary closed + I then had to source it from a friend who makes it for himself. He had lymphatic cancer and used only -THC he is now cancer free. | |||
| - -No dispensaries in Prince George. | |||
| - -Due to the onerous, cumbersome, and poorly thought out method of licensing, all the local dispensaries have closed. | |||
| - -Legalization has prevented all dispensaries I used from re-opening - apparently due to local city council morons. Perfectly good system of dispensaries destroyed by political morons abusing their powers at local level since legalization. | |||
| - -Licensing regulations in my area have caused closure of stores and none have re-opened yet. | |||
| - -Legal cannabis stores still not open. | |||
| - -Easy to get on the street - cannot get a retail. | |||
| - -Dispensary unable to sell to me now! Why is that??? Where can one purchase? | |||
| - -I live in northern BC = medical dispensary used to mail out, now since legalization they don’t = access down, cost increases | |||
| Issues in getting medical authorization | - -Trouble getting authorization. | - 5 | - 0.11 |
| - -Need Dr’s note. | |||
| - -Medical form requires re-authorization every 6 months and has been struggle to get oncologist to sign and submit. It is January now and still waiting for request since October. | |||
| - -Since cannabis has been legalized it is so difficult to get a general practitioner, or arthritis specialist to give you a prescription, and otherwise you need to pay some cannabis doctor for a prescription and it is cost prohibitive cost wise for us low income patients. | |||
| - -Legal restrictions. | |||
| Issues with cost | - -It is very expensive. | - 3 | - 0.07 |
| - -Friends not always reliable, outlets are too expensive. | |||
| - -200 mg suppositories are $7 each ×3 daily is too much $ |