If you’re looking for medical cannabis in Canada, it’s important to understand the legal framework around access. Canada’s medical marijuana laws are in flux right now, as the country moves toward the legalization of cannabis for recreational users as well.
Here’s what you need to know about the current legal framework.
An Updated Framework
Canada’s medical marijuana laws were introduced in 2001. The Medical Marihuana Access Regulations (MMAR) were replaced in 2013. The Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) made some big changes. Most notably, under the MMPR, patients with medical marijuana authorization were no longer allowed to grow their own, as they’d been able to under MMAR. Instead, they had to buy from select producers who
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This is the current framework in place for governing access to and use of medical cannabis. Under the ACMPR, patients can once again grow their own, although licensing has remained in place.
Another Change?
The federal government announced plans to make cannabis legal for recreational users beginning in 2018. While there’s still some confusion about how this will happen, the idea is to stop punishing and criminalizing the “average” user. The law will still punish those involved in trafficking and illegal grow-ops.
What will happen when cannabis becomes legal? The medical marijuana laws may need to change again to adjust to the new legal framework. So far, it seems the ACMPR is likely to remain in place, however, and Health Canada will continue licensing producers.
One Likely Outcome
So far, one major problem may crop up with the legalization of cannabis. People who wish to use cannabis to treat a condition may no longer seek the medical advice of an expert. Instead, they’ll obtain cannabis for recreational purposes and begin self-medicating.
The system is likely to cause strain between those who have already been issued an authorization under current medical marijuana laws and people who haven’t yet obtained their authorization—and may not need