Some Canadians who suffer from serious ailments are licensed to produce marijuana for use in alleviating symptoms that are associated with their medical condition.
The application process to obtain these licences and the regulations governing them are rigorous, as befits the production of a controlled substance.
But despite the safeguards in place, a number of stakeholders have identified areas of concern with the current Marijuana Medical Access Program.
These stakeholders range from police and firefighters, to physicians and municipalities, and program participants and their advocates, who see room for improvement in the existing process.
The concerns are wide-ranging and some particularly serious ones include abuse and exploitation of the program by criminal elements. In order to address these concerns, our government is considering improvements to the Marijuana Medical Access Program and we are seeking input from Canadians on the proposed changes.
A consultation document has been posted on the Health Canada website – http://hc-sc.gc.ca - which contains the proposed measures.
The proposal can be studied in more detail there but, in brief, they include recommendations to:
• Create a new supply and distribution system for dried marijuana that uses only licensed commercial producers, to reduce the risk of abuse by criminal elements and lessen the jeopardy of fires and other public safety threats associated with home cultivation of medical marijuana;
• Establish an expert advisory committee to improve physician access to the most up-to-date information on the potential risks and benefits of medical marijuana use;
• Eliminate the administrative categories of conditions or symptoms, making the program less complicated for seriously ill users;
• and streamline the process for program participants.
Interested Canadians are invited to comment on the proposals until July 31, 2011.
Input from these consultations will be considered in the development of new regulations, which Canadians will again have an opportunity to comment on in 2012.
I must stress, legalization or decriminalization of marijuana is in no way a part of these changes.
Our government is serious about ensuring this program is not abused and we invite your input on improvements that can be made.
