There are now five marijuana dispensaries along situated in Aldervile First Nation north of Cobourg.
The Medicine Wheel Natural Healing opened up along County Road 45 in June 2017, but since, four more dispensaries have sprouted up in the same area in less than a year.
Healing House Medicinals opened up on March 19 across from The Medicine Wheel and is Indigenous owned and family operated cannabis dispensary.
“Our mission is two fold,” said Tyler Marsden as the store was doing a brisk business.
“We want to provide a safe and stigma free environment to provide cannabis to our customers as well as we eventually want to give back to our community and start building public works projects with Alderville First Nation.”
Marsden explains the way the legislation is set up, “they didn’t really discuss the option of indigenous communities and their role as dispensaries. So what we’re doing, is we are operating as traditional aboriginal people and our right to grow and share our traditional medicines.”
Posted in the store two articles from the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples which Canada agreed to in 2016.
“Indigenous peoples have the right to their traditional medicines and to maintain their health practices, including the conservation of their vital medicinal plants, animals and minerals. Indigenous individuals also have the right to access, without any discrimination, to all social and health services.”
United Nations Declaration of the rights of Indigenous Peoples Article 24:1
Under the United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples Act 20:1 it also states, “Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or institutions, to be secure in the employment of their own means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely in their traditional and economic activities.”
Marsden states they encourage customers to get their prescription, “but it’s not necessary to have a cannabis prescription to show here.”
All products are tested in a lab at The Medicine Wheel for any mold or added drug before being brought into the business.
Beside each product in the store is a label which tells the customer what precisely it used for, including stress, pain, insomnia, depression among others.
Healing House Medicinals is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except Wednesdays when it is closed.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
