Groups suggest offering marijuana in pharmacies
By: Simon Doyle, The Ottawa Citizen, 02/19/04

Medicinal marijuana may soon be available in pharmacies, according to proposals being examined by a variety of special interest groups in consultation with Health Canada

Officials from Health Canada yesterday met with pharmacists, medical experts, police and medicinal cannabis users to discuss access to medicinal marijuana.

"If you wanted the biggest patient concern, it's to be able to get a safe, affordable supply of medicinal marijuana. That's what we need," said Greg Robinson, who uses marijuana to alleviate HIV/AIDS symptoms of nausea and lack of appetite.

Ray Joubert of the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacies said that there was broad support for bringing marijuana into pharmacies.

Richard Viau, an official with Health Canada's controlled-substances program, said the department has wrapped up a series of consultations on the issue and he expects recommendations to be before cabinet by the end of this summer.

After that, a pilot project to distribute marijuana through pharmacies could begin.

However, Mr. Viau noted that any larger implementation could take time because the provinces are responsible for health care.

"If the pilot proved to be successful, then the provinces and territories would have to look at it and modify their legislation," he said.

Mr. Viau said that as of early February, there were 710 medicinal marijuana users in Canada. Many of these are cancer and HIV/AIDS patients, who use the drug to alleviate nausea, pain and lack of appetite.

Other issues discussed yesterday included eliminating the red tape restricting patients' access to marijuana and disclosing medicinal marijuana users to police.

"Grow operations are becoming a serious concern," said Halifax police Deputy Chief Chris McNeil, who chairs the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police drug abuse committee. "Why not put something in place where, if we're about to search a place, we could verify a legal activity rather than risk entering a house by force."

Deputy Chief McNeil said he agreed with patients such as Mr. Robinson, who supports pharmacy distribution which would allow patients "to avoid having to obtain access through an illegal source which brings with it all its inherent dangers."