Regulating compassion: an overview of Canada's federal medical cannabis policy and practice
Date
2008-01-28
Authors
Lucas, Philippe G
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMed Central
Abstract
Background: In response to a number of court challenges brought forth by Canadian patients
who demonstrated that they benefited from the use of medicinal cannabis but remained vulnerable
to arrest and persecution as a result of its status as a controlled substance, in 1999 Canada became
the second nation in the world to initiate a centralized medicinal cannabis program. Over its six
years of existence, this controversial program has been found unconstitutional by a number of
courts, and has faced criticism from the medical establishment, law enforcement, as well as the
patient/participants themselves.
Methods: This critical policy analysis is an evidence-based review of court decisions, government
records, relevant studies and Access to Information Act data related to the three main facets of
Health Canada's medicinal cannabis policy – the Marihuana Medical Access Division (MMAD); the
Canadians Institute of Health Research Medical Marijuana Research Program; and the federal
cannabis production and distribution program. This analysis also examines Canada's network of
unregulated community-based dispensaries.
Results: There is a growing body of evidence that Health Canada's program is not meeting the
needs of the nation's medical cannabis patient community and that the policies of the Marihuana
Medical Access Division may be significantly limiting the potential individual and public health
benefits achievable though the therapeutic use of cannabis. Canada's community-based dispensaries
supply medical cannabis to a far greater number of patients than the MMAD, but their work is
currently unregulated by any level of government, leaving these organizations and their clients
vulnerable to arrest and prosecution.
Conclusion: Any future success will depend on the government's ability to better assess and
address the needs and legitimate concerns of end-users of this program, to promote and fund an
expanded clinical research agenda, and to work in cooperation with community-based medical
cannabis dispensaries in order to address the ongoing issue of safe and timely access to this herbal
medicine.
Description
BioMed Central
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Citation
Lucas: Regulating compassion: an overview of Canada's federal medical cannabis policy and practice. Harm Reduction Journal 2008, 5:5.