Pubdate: Wed, 14 Sep 2005
Source: Brandon Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2005, Brandon Sun
Contact:  http://www.brandonsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2437
Author: Dean Beeby
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

MEDICAL POT MAY BE IN PHARMACIES NEXT YEAR

OTTAWA -- Health Canada's long-delayed plan to sell
government-certified marijuana in drugstores appears to be back on
track for early next year.

The pilot project would stock medicinal pot in some pharmacies for use
by authorized patients, making Canada only the second country after
The Netherlands to allow easier access through drugstores.

Currently, 237 patients can get Health Canada's medical marijuana
through Prairie Plant Systems Inc., which grows the weed in Flin Flon
under a $5.75-million contract with the federal government.
Thirty-gram bags of dried buds, costing $150 each, are couriered
directly to patients or their physicians.

But since early 2003, when senior officials visited the Netherlands to
investigate that country's marijuana distribution program, Health
Canada has looked for a way to insert a pharmacist between the
manufacturer and the patient.

The department is scouting out a handful of urban and rural pharmacies
to begin the pilot project by the first quarter of 2006, said
spokesman Christopher Williams.

Health Canada had initially planned a project for last year but
regulations authorizing pharmacy distribution only came into effect on
June 7 after a long period of consultation.

Currently, 943 people are authorized to possess it.
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