Pubdate: Fri, 06 Feb 2015
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2015 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Adam Miron
Page: A9
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n074/a05.html

POT SELLERS FACE A CATCH-22

Re: The Not-So-Free Market In Medical Marijuana, editorial, Feb. 3.

Your editorial accurately reflects the curious marketing issues 
facing this nascent industry. As licensed producers, the 
Hydropothecary cultivates four strains of medical marijuana in highly 
controlled, state-of-the-art facilities and yet we can't say much 
about our product.

And that's a challenge, especially for the 30%-40% of Canadians who 
suffer from insomnia, along with the 8% with depression and 5% with 
anxiety. All three are candidates for using medical marijuana, not 
just the illnesses the media commonly associates with medical 
marijuana, such as cancer and glaucoma. How many patients want to 
stop taking over-the-counter or prescription sedatives, but know 
little of the alternatives? The medical marijuana strains used for 
insomnia or anxiety can vary greatly, but how will the doctor or the 
patient know which to choose?

While we can't talk to potential customers about important scientific 
information regarding specific strains, what we can talk about are 
two other customers service issues: suppliers who run out and limited 
access. Patients should never run out of their medicine. Nor should 
they have to take a day off work to receive a package and sign for 
it. From the moment people register with the Hydropothecary, we 
guarantee they will never run out because we won't oversubscribe. And 
we deliver any time, including after-hours and on weekends.

So, yes, there are inherent issues with marketing a product we can't 
discuss. But differentiating a company in this environment isn't just 
about product: it's also about paying attention to what customers 
really need. like.

Adam Miron, The Hydropothecary, Gatineau, Que.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom