When Health Canada announced on August 24, 2016 that they were replacing the MMPR ( Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations ), with a new set of rules – the ACMPR, many patients were left asking : »but how does this affect me? »

To simplify the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation, let’s break it down piece by piece.

What is the ACMPR?

The ACMPR is an acronym for the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation. The ACMPR is a result of the Allard v Canada case that ruled the former regulations, the MMPR infringed on Canadian patient’s right to reasonable access to medical cannabis. Similar to the former MMPR, the ACMPR allows Canadian patients to register and obtain their medical cannabis from Health Canada approved Licensed Producers, but it also allows Canadians the option to grow a limited amount of cannabis for themselves, or designate someone to grow/ produce their medical cannabis for them.

Healthcare Practitioners still operate as gate-keepers under the ACMPR, as patients must obtain a prescription for medical cannabis in order to register with a Licensed Producer, or register with Health Canada for a personal production license.

Under the ACMPR dispensaries, compassion clubs and retail store fronts for cannabis still remain illegal and the only legal option for patients to obtain dried cannabis, cannabis oil, and/or plants/seeds (« starting materials ») is through LPs.

What was the MMPR?

Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) was a set of rules and regulations for growing, buying and selling medical cannabis in Canada. Under the MMPR, doctors were allowed to prescribe medical cannabis to their patients. Patients medicine was then purchased through a commercial grower (licensed producer or LP) that has been licensed by Health Canada. Patients did not have the option to grow their own cannabis under the MMPR, unlike the initial MMAR.

How was the MMPR different from the MMAR?

The main difference between the MMAR and the MMPR is that patients could no longer grow cannabis themselves or have it grown for them.

It has also been said that the switch was the result of pressure from Health Canada to improve access to medical marijuana and cut down on legal home grow operations – which have been getting out of control over the years.

How do I sign up/purchase medical marijuana under the ACMPR?

Les patients souffrant de maladies éligibles (douleur chronique, maux de dos, troubles anxieux, dépression, SSPT, etc) peuvent obtenir une ordonnance pour le cannabis médical de leur médecin. Si le médecin du patient est mal à l’aise avec le cannabis médical ou ne sait pas comment prescrire du cannabis, Apollo peut vous aider.

Apollo Cannabis Clinic a des médecins et des psychiatres disponibles pour consulter et prescrire aux patients à l’échelle du Canada, c’est pourquoi nous pouvons évaluer vos conditions, prescrire du cannabis médical, et éduquer le patient sous un même toit. Nous avons également un nouveau programme de réduction des méfaits dans le cadre d’un nouveau programme de réduction des méfaits dans le cadre d’un nouveau programme de réduction des méfaits dans le cadre d’un nouveau programme de réduction des méfaits, qui permet de prescrire du cannabis aux patients qui s’automédicent actuellement avec du « cannabis de rue » illégal et non réglementé, sont admissibles à une ordonnance en vertu de la réduction des méfaits. Il s’agit de s’assurer que ces patients ont accès à du cannabis médical légal, réglementé et testé dans le cadre de l’ACMPR.

À l’avenir, la grande occasion et l’accent sera mis sur l’éducation des médecins sur la vérité entourent le cannabis médical, ses composantes scientifiques, et la recherche qui est actuellement en cours. Puisque le pouvoir est maintenant entre les mains de votre médecin, il est important qu’ils aient les informations correctes.

Crédit photo: Tim et Selena Middleton ‘ cc (en anglais)