Pubdate: Wed, 28 Jan 2015
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 The Edmonton Journal
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Douglas Quan
Page: A9

SERIES OF SETBACK HITS FLEDGLING MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY

Almost a year after the federal government revamped the way medical
marijuana is produced and distributed in Canada - moving from
home-based operations to large-scale commercial ones - the fledgling
industry continues to encounter growing pains.

A trial set to begin next month in Federal Court will hear patients
argue that the price of marijuana charged by commercial producers is
too high, depriving them of medicine to treat serious ailments. Until
a decision is made, individuals who previously held licences to
possess and grow their own marijuana have been allowed to continue
doing so.

Commercial producers have faced other challenges, including
restrictions on how they advertise their products; maintaining
adequate supplies; and responding to product recalls.

In a statement, the Canadian Medical Cannabis Industry Association,
acknowledged some of the challenges, but says the industry remains
optimistic.

"Previous stigma with cannabis has placed the industry under a
microscope," the statement said. "However, there have also been
success stories at the company level and at the industry level."

Under the old regime, patients could grow their own pot, have a
designated person do the growing or buy from Health Canada.

But the system was rife with abuse, prompting federal regulators to
switch to a new system last year, which restricts production to
licensed commercial producers and does not allow patients to possess
more than 150 grams of dried marijuana at any time.

A group of B.C. patients sued the government in Federal Court, arguing
the new rules were overly restrictive and would make marijuana
unaffordable, forcing them to "choose between their liberty and their
health."

Whereas the cost to produce marijuana under the old system ranged from
50 cents to $2 a gram, the cost under the new regime would be $8 to
$12 a gram, they said.

A judge granted a temporary injunction, allowing those who had been
allowed to possess and grow marijuana under the old system to keep
doing so, at least until the constitutional challenge was heard.

The trial is set to begin Feb. 23.

For the 23 commercial producers licensed in Canada, the injunction has
meant a smaller pool of potential customers. Under the old regime,
there were roughly 35,000 Canadians licensed to possess marijuana.
Commercial producers currently report having about 14,000 clients.
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MAP posted-by: Matt