Talking about medical cannabis in professional and business communities is risky.

But I’m going to do it anyways.

I recently sat down with Steve Fader, Owner of Natural Health Services, to discuss the current process for getting a medical cannabis prescription in Canada.

My mom was recently diagnosed with cancer for a second time and I happily helped her get a prescription for medical cannabis. Going through this with her made me realize there are a number of barriers to access. She found the process overwhelming and complicated. I believe she wouldn’t have actually got a prescription if I hadn’t been there to help her.

What are the barriers?

The Liberals have promised to legalize marijuana. Medical marijuana is already legal with a prescription. Full legalization would likely mean that recreational use would be allowed too.

So what does this mean for Canada?

Today, access to medical cannabis is legal in Canada. This makes medical cannabis a medication just like any other prescription drug and can be used by employees to treat things like chronic pain and anxiety.

So, how did we get here?

Licensed Producers (LPs) are the companies that are given permission by the Government of Canada to produce medical marijuana.
 
There is a rigorous application process to become a licensed producer and restrictions on how they can sell medical marijuana and in what form.