Pubdate: Fri, 30 May 2014
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 The London Free Press
Contact: http://www.lfpress.com/letters
Website: http://www.lfpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243
Author: Dale Carruthers
Page: A2

ONE-STOP POT SHOP A FLASH IN THE PAN

A London one-stop pot shop has gone up in smoke less than a month 
after opening its doors.

Touted as the first of its kind in Canada, Options Health Care was 
set up to assess patients and dispense authorizations for them to buy 
medical marijuana from the roughly one dozen federally licensed 
commercial producers. Patients were supposed to also pick up the pot 
from the clinic.

The clinic sent an e-mail Thursday to clients telling them of the closing.

"I write to inform you that the Options Health Care clinic must close 
for a restructuring review. Dr. Craven is sending a letter to you - 
to let you know that he is unable to proceed with your authorization 
for medical marijuana - along with his sincere apologies for your 
inconvenience," said the e-mail from the clinic's manager.

The clinic opened in early May at 790 Dundas St. and was the 
brainchild of Dr. John Craven, associate director of the methadone 
clinic at 528 Dundas St.

A vocal proponent of medical marijuana, Craven authored The Power of 
Pot, a 152-page guide to harness the plant's medicinal properties.

He couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

The abrupt closing of the east-end clinic has left some clients 
concerned about the fate of their medical records.

"I'm just trying to get my medical records back," said one client, 
who didn't want to be identified. "I gave them all my information, 
health card number, everything."

After being assessed on the second day Options opened, the client was 
told his government-approved dispenser would contact him shortly. But 
after not hearing anything from the dispenser for two weeks, he 
called the Ontario-based company and was told it hadn't received his 
paperwork. With Options now shuttered, he's worried it's going to be 
difficult to get a new authorization to buy medical marijuana.

"After three weeks your doors are shut . . . and now unfortunately 
you're telling us you're not going to be able to do anything for us?" he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom