Medical Cannabis has been legal since 2001, and since October 17th, 2018, recreational cannabis is now available for Canadians.
Even with recreational cannabis being legalized, there are still numerous benefits to being prescribed medical cannabis through a healthcare practitioner and getting your medical marijuana license, as opposed to self-medicating with recreationally purchased cannabis.
In this post, we outline 5 reasons why you’ll still want a medical marijuana prescription, and the care and support that comes along with being a medical cannabis patient through a cannabis clinic.
Medical vs. Recreational Marijuana
Medical marijuana is marijuana that is prescribed by a doctor to treat specific health conditions and symptoms. The patient then fills their prescription with a licensed producer (LP). To be sure a retailer’s products meet health and safety standards, LP’s are regulated and inspected by Health Canada.
Recreational cannabis is taken by a person for enjoyment rather than for medical reasons. For example, people are able to purchase cannabis in storefronts without a prescription. Residents of Ontario have the option of obtaining recreational cannabis, legally, from the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), and approved retail storefronts.
Some people who use cannabis without a prescription are unknowingly “self-medicating.” This means that they are taking a medication—without medical advice—to alleviate a physical or psychological symptoms. For example, using cannabis to “relax” may actually be treating an underlying or undiagnosed anxiety disorder.
With that being said, even with recreational cannabis legalized, getting a medical marijuana prescription has many benefits over self-medicating.
#1 Effectiveness of Medical vs. Recreational Cannabis
When you have a medical cannabis prescription, you get a personalized medical cannabis treatment plan for your specific condition, symptoms, goals and level of comfortability with cannabis. When you use marijuana recreationally, you’re guessing both the correct dose and which strain to buy, especially since retail sales representatives at recreational outlets will be unable to give shoppers medical advice, or advise on the ‘effects’ of the strains sold.
To get a prescription, you can book a consultation with an Apollo doctor.
If your doctor determines that cannabis could be an effective treatment, he or she will write you a prescription. Based on your condition, the prescription and advice your doctor gives you will be personalized in a few ways:
- Grams per day— A typical pharmaceutical prescription will instruct you how many pills or how much to take a day. The same is true with a medical marijuana prescription. Your doctor will determine the best dose to start off with for your condition, outlined in the amount of ‘grams’ of dried cannabis ( or the equivalent in oils ).
- Strains— There are many other factors that make each strain or type of cannabis unique. These include the terpenes present and whether it’s sativa or indica-dominant. For example, a patient with a sleep disorder may find indica strains most effective, while a sativa strain may work better for someone with fatigue. When you consult a doctor, and their team of patient educators, they can also recommend the names of specific strains and proper dosing.
- Method of administration— Many people associate marijuana with smoking, but there are a variety of other ways to consume your medication. You can consult your doctor about which method will work best for you. An Apollo patient educator can also provide administration information, such as how to use a vaporizer, and how much edible oils, or how many capsules would be recommended to take per dose, of a particular product.
Self-medicating tends to be less effective because people often buy any strain of cannabis and take it at a random dose. For this reason, they may accidentally choose a strain that makes their condition worse. Taking too much could also have negative effects and lead to tolerance quickly. Conversely, taking too little could reduce the benefits and be ineffective for one’s conditions.
Some illegal dispensaries require you to fill out a form stating your condition to obtain a membership. Memberships are not the same as prescriptions and dispensaries are still illegal and unregulated.
People may also choose to seek the advice of staff selling marijuana in an illegal storefront. While employees can give general advice, they cannot tell you what’s best for your specific needs. A qualified doctor can assess your condition, give you medical advice and monitor your progress.
#2 Medical Marijuana May Be Covered & there are Discounts for Medical Marijuana
More workplace insurance plans are starting to cover medical marijuana.
As more research on marijuana’s therapeutic benefits becomes available, more providers are recognizing it for some medical purposes, such as multiple sclerosis, HIV-AIDS, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and palliative care. Sun Life Financial became the first major insurance provider to cover cannabis for specific conditions, with many more to follow suit once cannabis is legalized.
Since recreational cannabis is used for enjoyment rather than for medical purposes, you’ll need a prescription to be covered for medical cannabis. If you’re prescribed medical marijuana and are on government social assistance or are considered low-income, you may qualify for a discount on your medicine.
If you have a healthcare insurance plan that includes a monthly or yearly reimbursable category titled as the “HealthCare Spending Account” (HSA/HCSA), almost all insurers are now allowing you to claim your medical cannabis under this category. This is due to Health Canada & The Canada Revenue Agency allowing medical cannabis be claimed as a medical expense. Always be sure to check your insurance plan first to see if it is covered.
Many Licensed Producers (LPs) offer “compassionate pricing,” amounting to anywhere from $0.89 to $3 saved per gram of dried cannabis, or 10-30% off the cost of the medicine.
To find out which LP fits your financial needs, an Apollo patient educator will go over all the options and help register you with LP(s) that best suit your healthcare & financial needs. If you don’t have a prescription for medical cannabis, you aren’t eligible for compassionate pricing on recreational cannabis purchased from retail outlets, regardless of your income bracket.
#3 Medical Marijuana is Tax Deductible
The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) allows people with prescriptions to file their cannabis costs as a medical expense. To qualify, you’ll also need to save your receipts from a Health Canada approved LP.
If you are interested in a free appointment with one of Apollo’s healthcare practitioners, you can book a consultation here.
#4 Medical Cannabis Strains, Selection & Supply
Some licensed producers, like Spectrum Cannabis, have confirmed their products and supply will be reserved only for medical patients with a prescription, and you will not be able to purchase these products in a recreational store. This means medical patients will have a dedicated and guaranteed supply of specific medical cannabis strains to ensure their needs are met, including high CBD products.
#5 Personal Carrying Limit
When you have a prescription, marijuana is viewed as a medication that should be taken as needed. Medical cannabis patients are allowed to possess 30x their daily prescription limit, or up to 150 grams, whichever is less. The limit for purchasing and possessing recreational cannabis outside of your home is 30 grams. This can be especially useful for medical patients when traveling inside of Canada and need their medication.
Apollo Cannabis Clinics Can Help
Apollo Cannabis Clinics employ a team of health care providers to help individuals gain access to medical cannabis and best utilize their medication. Patient educators are available to assist clients in choosing an appropriate Licensed Producer who may offer additional assistance, such as compassionate pricing or money towards vaporizers.
More Resources:
What to expect from an online/virtual appointment
Eligible conditions
5 reasons to have a prescription
