A good bunch of advice about cannibis and cancer !
I used to write a lot of prescriptions for medical marijuana. But , since 1 April 2014, when marijuana became legal in B.C., it has actually been more difficult and more annoying to prescribe medical marijuana. ( Typical government foolishness ).
If you want medical marijuana there are two basic steps you have to go through.
Glaucoma and stress don't count. I myself have both glaucoma and stress, and I treat them with eyedrops and exercise. So spare me the glaucoma BS. I really ain't interested.
MJ gives people the munchies. So it is very valuable in patients who are wasting away because of cancer or HIV. If you are dying I will give you all the marijuana you want ! ( Even if you don't have glaucoma ! ) To fatten you up and help you live longer.
Marijuana also has pain killing properties. For regular aches and pains it is about as effective as ibuprofen. But it dulls your brain and screws up your lungs. So I tell may patients to just take the ibuprofen.
For "neurologic" type pain MJ is better than many official drugs. And somewhat cheaper. But it also hurts your lungs, decreases you I. Q. by about six points, and gets you too stoned to accomplish much. Your choice !
There is also some early evidence that MJ can prevent various cancers, or slow their progression. I would suggest you wait till you have an actual cancer diagnosis. Prophylactic "toking up" does not appear to be of benefit
If you want medical marijuana there are two basic steps you have to go through.
Glaucoma and stress don't count. I myself have both glaucoma and stress, and I treat them with eyedrops and exercise. So spare me the glaucoma BS. I really ain't interested.
MJ gives people the munchies. So it is very valuable in patients who are wasting away because of cancer or HIV. If you are dying I will give you all the marijuana you want ! ( Even if you don't have glaucoma ! ) To fatten you up and help you live longer.
Marijuana also has pain killing properties. For regular aches and pains it is about as effective as ibuprofen. But it dulls your brain and screws up your lungs. So I tell may patients to just take the ibuprofen.
For "neurologic" type pain MJ is better than many official drugs. And somewhat cheaper. But it also hurts your lungs, decreases you I. Q. by about six points, and gets you too stoned to accomplish much. Your choice !
There is also some early evidence that MJ can prevent various cancers, or slow their progression. I would suggest you wait till you have an actual cancer diagnosis. Prophylactic "toking up" does not appear to be of benefit
DISPENSARIES LICENSED PRODUCERS
LEGAL STATUS
Illegal.
Dispensaries are illegal in Canada. The pending constitutional challenge against Canada’s medical cannabis regime seeks to preserve the rights of small-scale home growers, not commercial dispensaries.1
Enforcement against dispensaries varies at the local level.
Legal.
LPs are authorized and regulated under federal law, namely the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR). LPs must also comply with all provincial and municipal laws and by-laws (including zoning bylaws) and are required to communicate with their local city, police and fire officials about their activities.
PRODUCT SOURCE
Sourced from unregulated home grows.
Dispensaries procure their products illegally from private growers.2
Produced within regulated facilities.
LPs either grow their product within their own regulated facilities or buy it legally from other LPs. LPs may also import product from legal cannabis producers in other jurisdictions under strict controls.
PRODUCTION PRACTICES
No oversight or visibility.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, they are not required to have oversight or visibility into the production practices of their suppliers.
Rigorous GPP requirements.
LPs are subject to strict Good Production Practice requirements, including requirements to produce, package, label, and store product in a sanitary manner, to use only approved pest control products, and to maintain comprehensive SOPs relating to production.
PRODUCT TESTING
No requirements.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, dispensaries are not subject to consumer safety requirements, including product testing requirements.
Comprehensive product testing requirements.
LPs must test every batch of product for microbial and chemical contaminants prior to release. LPs must also test each batch for THC and CBD levels.
PACKAGING / LABELLING
No requirements.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, dispensaries are not subject to consumer safety requirements, including packaging/ labelling requirements.
Strict safety and information requirements.
LPs must package product in a child-resistant, tamper-resistant package that keeps the product dry and free from contamination (among other requirements). The package label must bear certain information, including THC/CBD percentage, net weight, recommended storage conditions, and packaging date.
PATIENT
OVERSIGHT /
SUPPORT
None.
As reported in various media outlets, dispensaries often have a low threshold for patient admission.3 Further, dispensaries are not required to control patient usage.
Medical document required for registration; patient usage dictated by medical document.
Before they can order product from an LP, a patient must submit a valid registration form and medical document issued by an authorized healthcare practitioner. All medical documents are verified by the LP after receipt. Patient purchases cannot exceed the usage amount indicated on their medical document.
PATIENT PROTECTION
None.
Some dispensaries issue membership cards to their clients. However, these cards have no legal power and cannot prevent patients from being arrested and charged for possession of marijuana.
Patients are provided with proof of legal possession.
Each order of dried cannabis from an LP contains a client label and a separate document that constitute proof of legal possession. The MMPRs also set out a mechanism by which law enforcement officers can conduct further verification of patient status with LPs.
DISTRIBUTION METHOD
Unlicensed storefronts.
Some dispensaries also offer mail-order shipping, which is not subject to any regulatory requirements.
Mail-order delivery.
LPs must ship product in a package that ensures the security of its contents (anonymous, sealed, odour-proof), and must use a shipping method that ensures tracking and safekeeping of the package.
RECORD
KEEPING,
REPORTING,
AND RECALL
POWERS
No requirements.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, they are not subject to record-keeping or recall requirements.
Strict requirements around record-keeping, reporting, and serious adverse reaction reporting.
LPs must retain various documents, including records demonstrating that each lot or batch of product was produced, package, and labelled in accordance with the MMPR. LPs must also submit serious adverse reaction reports and other reports on a regular basis, and must establish and maintain a system of control that permits the rapid and complete recall of every lot or batch of dried cannabis that has been made available for sale. LPs are audited by Health Canada on a monthly basis for compliance with regulatory requirements.
FOOTNOTES
1 See Health Canada, Statement: Medical Marihuana Access Regulations Update at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/access-access-eng.php.
2 See e.g. Bethany Lindsay and Tara Carman, “Dispensaries Can’t Get Product Legally” (Vancouver Sun) at http://www.canada.com/health/
Medical+marijuana+dispensaries+product+legally/10781978/story.html
3 See e.g. Margaret Gallagher, Medical marijuana dispensaries spread like weeds in Vancouver (CBC News) at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-spread-like-weeds-in-vancouver-1.2900454 (“Other dispensaries advertise quick approval – sometimes onsite – and some even offer free samples”); and CBC, Medical
Marijuana Easily “Dispensed” in Vancouver at <http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/02/02/medical-marijuana-easily-dispensed-vancouver_n_6583902.html>
FACT SHEET: DISPENSARIES AND LICENSED PRODUCERS
LEGAL STATUS
Illegal.
Dispensaries are illegal in Canada. The pending constitutional challenge against Canada’s medical cannabis regime seeks to preserve the rights of small-scale home growers, not commercial dispensaries.1
Enforcement against dispensaries varies at the local level.
Legal.
LPs are authorized and regulated under federal law, namely the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR). LPs must also comply with all provincial and municipal laws and by-laws (including zoning bylaws) and are required to communicate with their local city, police and fire officials about their activities.
PRODUCT SOURCE
Sourced from unregulated home grows.
Dispensaries procure their products illegally from private growers.2
Produced within regulated facilities.
LPs either grow their product within their own regulated facilities or buy it legally from other LPs. LPs may also import product from legal cannabis producers in other jurisdictions under strict controls.
PRODUCTION PRACTICES
No oversight or visibility.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, they are not required to have oversight or visibility into the production practices of their suppliers.
Rigorous GPP requirements.
LPs are subject to strict Good Production Practice requirements, including requirements to produce, package, label, and store product in a sanitary manner, to use only approved pest control products, and to maintain comprehensive SOPs relating to production.
PRODUCT TESTING
No requirements.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, dispensaries are not subject to consumer safety requirements, including product testing requirements.
Comprehensive product testing requirements.
LPs must test every batch of product for microbial and chemical contaminants prior to release. LPs must also test each batch for THC and CBD levels.
PACKAGING / LABELLING
No requirements.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, dispensaries are not subject to consumer safety requirements, including packaging/ labelling requirements.
Strict safety and information requirements.
LPs must package product in a child-resistant, tamper-resistant package that keeps the product dry and free from contamination (among other requirements). The package label must bear certain information, including THC/CBD percentage, net weight, recommended storage conditions, and packaging date.
PATIENT
OVERSIGHT /
SUPPORT
None.
As reported in various media outlets, dispensaries often have a low threshold for patient admission.3 Further, dispensaries are not required to control patient usage.
Medical document required for registration; patient usage dictated by medical document.
Before they can order product from an LP, a patient must submit a valid registration form and medical document issued by an authorized healthcare practitioner. All medical documents are verified by the LP after receipt. Patient purchases cannot exceed the usage amount indicated on their medical document.
PATIENT PROTECTION
None.
Some dispensaries issue membership cards to their clients. However, these cards have no legal power and cannot prevent patients from being arrested and charged for possession of marijuana.
Patients are provided with proof of legal possession.
Each order of dried cannabis from an LP contains a client label and a separate document that constitute proof of legal possession. The MMPRs also set out a mechanism by which law enforcement officers can conduct further verification of patient status with LPs.
DISTRIBUTION METHOD
Unlicensed storefronts.
Some dispensaries also offer mail-order shipping, which is not subject to any regulatory requirements.
Mail-order delivery.
LPs must ship product in a package that ensures the security of its contents (anonymous, sealed, odour-proof), and must use a shipping method that ensures tracking and safekeeping of the package.
RECORD
KEEPING,
REPORTING,
AND RECALL
POWERS
No requirements.
Since dispensaries are not authorized or regulated by any governmental body, they are not subject to record-keeping or recall requirements.
Strict requirements around record-keeping, reporting, and serious adverse reaction reporting.
LPs must retain various documents, including records demonstrating that each lot or batch of product was produced, package, and labelled in accordance with the MMPR. LPs must also submit serious adverse reaction reports and other reports on a regular basis, and must establish and maintain a system of control that permits the rapid and complete recall of every lot or batch of dried cannabis that has been made available for sale. LPs are audited by Health Canada on a monthly basis for compliance with regulatory requirements.
FOOTNOTES
1 See Health Canada, Statement: Medical Marihuana Access Regulations Update at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/access-access-eng.php.
2 See e.g. Bethany Lindsay and Tara Carman, “Dispensaries Can’t Get Product Legally” (Vancouver Sun) at http://www.canada.com/health/
Medical+marijuana+dispensaries+product+legally/10781978/story.html
3 See e.g. Margaret Gallagher, Medical marijuana dispensaries spread like weeds in Vancouver (CBC News) at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-spread-like-weeds-in-vancouver-1.2900454 (“Other dispensaries advertise quick approval – sometimes onsite – and some even offer free samples”); and CBC, Medical
Marijuana Easily “Dispensed” in Vancouver at <http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/02/02/medical-marijuana-easily-dispensed-vancouver_n_6583902.html>
FACT SHEET: DISPENSARIES AND LICENSED PRODUCERS