As Vancouver struggled to regulate its explosion of marijuana dispensaries, top provincial health officials considered how they could legalize the recreational use of the drug across British Columbia.

In a series of e-mails released through a Freedom of Information request, the health officials acknowledged there would likely be little progress toward legalization while the staunchly anti-drug Conservatives hold power in Ottawa, instead suggesting such a radical change would likely come about only if the Liberals win the fall election.

EDMONTON – Users of medical marijuana are upset over a drug bust in Edmonton last week in which police raided a dispensary and charged the family that operates it.

The owners claim, up until last week, police left them alone. On Wednesday morning, that changed. ALERT’s Green Team seized all marijuana products from the Mobile Access Compassionate Resources Organization Society (MACROS).

The non-profit group sold medical marijuana to people who have a prescription. It served more than 1,000 clients.

Jaime McLaren says her puppy, Wrigley, became sick after eating marijuana while he was on a walk.

Jaime McLaren was horrified when Wrigley, her four-month-old chocolate lab, fell to the ground in agony after a walk in Vancouver last week.

The dog couldn't stand up, and started having tremors, McLaren told CBC News.

"It was traumatizing," she said. "I immediately burst into tears and thought it was going to be a fatal incident."

She rushed Wrigley to emergency care.

"The vet determined it was marijuana, likely a butt that he'd picked up while on his walk and ingested," she said.

The visit to the vet cost Jamie McLaren $150 for the exam and the charcoal induction treatment to detoxify her dog. (Jamie McLaren)

Dogs experiencing marijuana-related medical complications are becoming increasingly common, says a pet insurance company.

Pet insurer Trupanion said it's paying out a growing number of claims for dogs treated for marijuana toxicity.

Dr. Denise Petryk, a veterinarian with the company, said it can be a serious problem.

"A small dog that gets even a small bite of marijuana that, let's say, has been made into marijuana butter or again one of the edibles … it could potentially be fatal."

In Vancouver, Jaime McLaren said her puppy needed emergency care after it accidentally ingested pot.

Marijuana dispensary operators have begun receiving letters warning them that the time has come for edibles to disappear from their stores.

“City policy is that edibles, except for oils, tinctures and capsules, will not be permitted to be sold,” states a document issued by the City of Vancouver’s planning and development services department. “Effective immediately, edibles cannot be sold in your business.”

Vancouver, British Columbia / TheNewswire / July 24, 2015- Vodis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: VP / FSE: 1JV /Q:VDQSF) ("Vodis" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that after consulting with the City of Bellingham in Washington State, the Company needs only to install air flow systems in order that it may be granted permission to receive an inspection from the Washington State Liquor Control board. The company has ordered the necessary parts and expects the installation to be completed within 3-4 weeks.

Vancouver police say a marijuana plant discovered growing in a city traffic circle was legal, unless someone had been watering it.

"The alleged marijuana plant growing in the traffic circle at West 19th Avenue and Ontario Street has been removed for analysis and has been determined to likely be a male cannabis plant and therefore not capable of producing THC, rendering the plant legal hemp," Sgt. Randy Fincham said in an email statement.

But if someone was watering the plant, Finchan said in the email, it would have been violating the city’s current stage 4 water restriction which forbids all forms of residential lawn or garden watering.

Residents of Vancouver’s hip Mount Pleasant neighbourhood have found marijuana plants among the flowers and shrubs of at least two traffic circles, sparking local joy and a race between residents and police to harvest them.

“I think it represents a good sense of humour in the neighbourhood,” resident Stephen Tanner told CTV, adding such gardens are usually tended by locals.

Eric Lamond and several other residents said they have seen marijuana plants growing in the centre of traffic circles along Ontario Street in the past few months in what seems to be a random series of guerrilla gardening.

‘‘I love it. It’s beautiful, it’s a beautiful plant, we should all be enjoying it, right? It’s nature,” Lamond told CBC News.

Police say a lush and thriving marijuana plant discovered sprouting up in traffic circle in Vancouver is harmless.

A number of robust cannabis plants were found nestled amongst other flowers and ornamental grasses in a public traffic circle near Vancouver’s residential Mt. Pleasant neighbourhood.

Sergeant Randy Fincham, a spokesperson for the Vancouver police department, said officers removed one of the plants for analysis, to see if it was male or female. Only female varieties of the marijuana plant have buds, and thus THC, the chemical responsible for marijuana’s high, Fincham said.