Medical cannabis patients gain exemption from Ontario e-cigarette regulations
WATERLOO, ON, Nov. 25, 2015 /CNW/ – On November 23, 2015 the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care announced regulations to amend the Electronic Cigarette Act and the Smoke Free Ontario Act to confirm “that the ban on using an e-cigarette in smoke-free places does not apply to a medical marihuana user who uses an e-cigarette for medical [purposes]”.
Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana (CFAMM) participated in consultation with the Ministry to advocate for an exemption for medical cannabis vaporizer use under the two acts. Over the summer CFAMM assisted the Ministry to understand how patients use medical cannabis, the role of vaporizers, and the potential ramifications of prohibiting their sale and use.
“This is another important milestone in the recognition of the legitimacy of the use of cannabis as a medicine. Ontario has taken a huge step forward by exempting medical cannabis patients and their use of vaporizers” said Jonathan Zaid, Founder and Executive Director of CFAMM. “Many patients, including myself, choose to vaporize their medicine, and any prohibition on vaporizer use would have severely limited the ability of patients to use their medication as prescribed. We applaud the Ministry of Health for its receptiveness and response on removing the prohibition of medical marijuana vaporizer use from the Acts.”