Pubdate: Wed, 12 Feb 2014
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Jennifer Saltman

CHANGES WILL LEAD TO 'QUALITY' POT

Medical Marijuana: Prospective licensed producers say winner will be 
the consumer

Upcoming changes to federal medical marijuana regulations will lead to
higher-quality pot for consumers, according to some prospective
licensed producers.

"The winner here will end up being the consumer," said Pete Martin,
operations and quality assurance manager for Richmond's MediJean.
"They'll end up being able to get a product that far exceeds the
quality of what's available on the streets now."

As of April 1, the only legal access to marijuana for medical purposes
will be through licensed producers under the Marijuana for Medical
Purposes Regulations, which will replace the current Marijuana Medical
Access Program. The regulations will create a commercial industry
that's responsible for production and distribution of medical marijuana.

The fact that there will be a regulated commercial industry means
companies will be competing for customers - there are an estimated
45,000 Canadians authorized to possess medical marijuana right now,
and that number is expected to grow to 450,000 - which will lead to
innovation.

With its in-house lab, MediJean hopes to exceed the chemical and
microbial testing requirements set out by Health Canada and to use the
results of its research to produce a superior product.

Currently MediJean is licensed to do research and development, but the
company has applied to be a licensed producer of medical marijuana.

"Quality at the end of the day is going to a large extent dictate
market share," Martin said.

James Poelzer, chief operations officer for Maple Ridge's Agrima
Botanicals, believes the new rules will help erase the stigma
associated with medical marijuana and give people a chance to innovate
and create a better product.

Agrima Botanicals has previously grown medicinal marijuana and has
applied to be a licensed producer under the new regulations. It has
also partnered with Simon Fraser University on research and
development projects.

"Who really knows what someone will innovate?" Poelzer said. "There
has to be infrastructure that will allow that innovation to happen.
With these new regulations, that will be possible." 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D