Pubdate: Sun, 07 Jul 2013
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Leona Aglukkaq
Note: Leona Aglukkaq is Canada's minister of health.

MEDICAL POT RULES BALANCE SECURITY, PATIENT SAFETY

While the courts have said Canadians must have reasonable access to a 
legal source of marijuana for medical purposes, the government of 
Canada believes this must be done in a controlled fashion in order to 
protect public safety.

On June 10, the government announced the new Marihuana for Medical 
Purposes Regulations. These regulations are intended to provide 
reasonable access for those Canadians who need marijuana for medical 
purposes while protecting public safety.

When the marijuana medical access program was introduced in 2001 in 
response to the court decision, the number of people authorized to 
use marijuana for medical purposes stood at less than 500. Over the 
years, that number has grown to more than 30,000. As a result, costs 
to taxpayers have continued to climb as Health Canada heavily 
subsidizes the production and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes.

As well, under the current program, Canadians can apply to grow 
marijuana for medical purposes in private homes or buy from Health 
Canada. The ability for individuals to produce marijuana in private 
homes has added to public health, safety and security risks as 
criminal elements have abused the system.

The government's goal is to treat dried marijuana as much as possible 
like other narcotics used for medical purposes under the regulations 
by creating conditions for a new, commercial industry that will be 
responsible for its production and distribution. Health Canada will 
return to its traditional role as a regulator.

Licensed producers will provide access to quality-controlled 
marijuana for medical purposes, produced under secure and sanitary 
conditions, to those Canadians who need it, while strengthening the 
safety of Canadian communities. In line with other controlled 
substances, personal and designated production will be phased out. 
This will reduce the health and safety risks, such as fire and toxic 
mould hazards, to individuals and to the Canadian public, while 
allowing for a quality-controlled and more secure product for medical use.

Under the new regulations, licensed producers will have to meet 
extensive security and quality control requirements, including 
requesting security clearance for certain key positions and meeting 
physical security requirements (such as a security system that 
detects intruders).

Licensed producers will also be subject to compliance and enforcement 
measures, and dried marijuana will only be shipped through a secure 
delivery service directly to the address the client has specified.

Taken together, these measures will reduce the risks of diversion of 
marijuana to illicit markets.

Under the new rules, the fundamental role of health providers does not change.

The responsibility to assess a patient and decide on appropriate 
treatment continues to rest with health care practitioners.

The Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations have created a 
streamlined process for those needing access to marijuana for medical 
purposes, eliminating the need for individuals to share health 
information with Health Canada.

To help support health-care practitioners in making decisions about 
whether marijuana is an appropriate treatment option, an expert 
advisory committee was created to assist in providing health-care 
practitioners with comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information 
on the known uses of marijuana for medical purposes.

More information is available on the Health Canada website.

The government understands the need to continue to provide reasonable 
access to a legal source of marijuana for medical purposes and the 
new regime does so in a manner that is consistent with the way access 
is provided for other narcotics used for medical purposes.

This more appropriately balances the needs of patients with the 
health, safety and security of all Canadians.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom