Who Prescribes Medical Marijuana?

Medical marijuana is any part of the marijuana plant that you use to treat health problems. Thousands of Canadians are federally licensed to possess and use medical marijuana anywhere in the country. It can be administered using a variety of methods, including liquid tinctures, vaporizing or smoking dried flowers(buds), eating cannabis edibles, taking capsules, using lozenges, dermal patches and so on. While more research is needed on these areas, it is perceived that THC and CBD–two main chemicals in medical marijuana–may help ease pain, nausea, and loss of appetite in patients.

If you are new to medical marijuana, you must follow the the Government of Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) which came into effect on August 24^th, 2016. ACMPR establishes the legal framework that enables patients to obtain authorization to possess marijuana for medical purposes.

Under ACMPR, physicians have primary responsibility for the decision to authorize patient use of marijuana for medical purposes. If approved, the physician or nurse practitioner that assessed your eligibility for medical cannabis will be required to fill out the appropriate medical documentation and submit it to a licensed producer. The physician must be a member in good standing with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and must hold a valid license from the licensing authority in the province/territory they work in.  Nurse practitioners are newly recognized as being authorized to prescribe medical marijuana by Health Canada.

As for patients, to access a legal supply of marijuana you must: First, consult with a health care practitioner; second, obtain a medical document completed by your health care practitioner; third, register and order with a licensed producer. Your medical marijuana will then be sent to you directly via mail by the licensed producer. Bear in mind that the Canadian government does not authorize licensed producers to provide medical marijuana through a storefront.