Pubdate: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2013 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Robert Ianiro Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n362/a01.html A DOCTOR'S DUTY WITH MEDICAL POT Re: Up In Smoke, July 27. The new Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) announced by the federal government on June 10 does not change the fundamental role of health care practitioners. The responsibility to assess a patient and decide on an appropriate treatment has always rested with health care practitioners, as it should. Under the MMPR, individuals must still consult an authorized health-care practitioner; however, the new regime eliminates the need for individuals to share health information with Health Canada. The MMPR will continue to provide reasonable access to a legal source of marijuana for medical purposes. However, the current practice of allowing individuals to produce it for medical purposes in private dwellings poses a number of health, security and safety risks to Canadians. The high value of marijuana on the illicit market increases the risks of home invasion and diversion to the black market. These production operations could also present fire and toxic mould hazards. Under the new regulations, licensed producers will have to meet extensive security and quality control requirements (such as a security system that detects intruders). Licensed producers will also be subject to compliance and enforcement measures, and dried marijuana will only be shipped through a secure delivery service directly to the address the client has specified. The government's goal is to treat dried marijuana as much as possible like other narcotics used for medical purposes. Robert Ianiro, director general, Controlled Substances and Tobacco Directorate, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom