On September 22nd  the federal government announced the statutory review of the Cannabis Act had begun.

What this means for medical:

There are a list of questions brought up in their paper. Most notable is the following: Is a distinct medical access program necessary to provide individuals with reasonable access to cannabis for medical purposes, or can access needs be met through the non-medical framework?

We have known for some time that a number of stakeholders have wanted the elimination of a medical access framework. But a dedicated medical access framework is essential to ensure patients can access cannabis with the support of health care professionals, and we think it should be improved, not eliminated. Data from our last Patient Experience Survey found substantially fewer of those without a medical document seek guidance about cannabis use from medical professionals. 

What we are doing:

  1. The 60 day window for stakeholders to submit feedback is very tight, but we will be working with multiple stakeholders who we supported in developing a recent 5,000 person patient survey on access barriers to have the data ready to inform the review, and will be reaching out with other opportunities to engage. Additionally, we will look for opportunities to raise awareness during the process. 
  2. We will be reaching out to work with other patient associations to support the feedback process. More voices are better than one. 

What you can do: Participate! Complete the online questionnaire provided to participate in the consultation.