Pubdate: Fri, 30 May 2014
Source: Expositor, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Brantford Expositor
Contact: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/letters
Website: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1130
Author: Dale Carruthers
Page: A7

POT SHOP CLOSES ABRUPTLY

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 informing them it's
closed.

"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 o f 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 any of 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.

A marijuana accessory shop in the same building remains open.
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MAP posted-by: Matt