Medical marijuana: Health Canada admits program needs fixing
By Contributor
The Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries (CAMCD) feels they should be directly involved in any process to change the federal medical marijuana program.
CAMCD was recently established to promote a regulated approach to medical cannabis access and is currently creating a certification system for dispensaries to ensure quality care is available for patients across the country.
“Health Canada should be commended for recognizing what we have been saying all along: they should not be in the business of selling marijuana,” said Marc Boris St-Maurice, director of CAMCD.
As Health Canada continues to tweak the program, medical cannabis dispensaries (also known as compassion clubs) are actively taking care of Canadians in need.
For 15 years, dispensaries have been providing safe access to medical cannabis, using reliable, experienced cultivators to supply them.
Legitimate concerns around medical cannabis could be solved by proper regulation and licensing of dispensaries, said Boris St-Maurice.
On Thursday the health minister’s spokesman, Steve Outhouse, said “At this point in time, we will be looking to consult on changes that we hope will balance patient access with safety and security.”
“A complete and thorough consultation process must involve dispensaries,” said Jeet-Kei Leung, director of CAMCD. “CAMCD directors represent over 20,000 patients and have extensive expertise in this sector.”
CAMCD is also concerned about any plans to take away the right for patients to produce their own cannabis.
“Many patients have spent years finding the proper strains that work best for their conditions, and have invested significant resources in their gardens,” said Adam Greenblatt, director of CAMCD. “We sincerely hope Health Canada will continue to allow patients the option to produce their own cannabis.”
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