Pubdate: Thu, 03 Nov 2016 Source: Chatham Daily News, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2016 Chatham Daily News Contact: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/letters Website: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1627 Author: Elaine Unsworth Page: A4 WHY NOT LET HOSPITALS PROFIT FROM POT? Shopper's Drug Mart is seriously interested in becoming the dispenser of medical marijuana. The government will be considering appropriate locations to deliver this product. We all know that Shopper's is well known as a drug dispensing business and makes millions of dollars annually. They see this as a new opportunity for increasing their profits and there is no doubt that it will. While our hospitals are continually struggling to provide health care to our citizens, the government is continuing to cut back its support. We have a wonderful health care system and should be proud of it. I agree there is a profit to be made in dispensing medical marijuana and hospitals are a perfect fit. We could utilize the empty space in our hospitals and provide personnel to deliver this service while directing the "profit" back into the hospitals. I won't assume that the hospital board hasn't looked in this, but I would hope this is not a missed opportunity. Shopper's Drug Mart already makes a healthy profit without the marijuana business. Legalizing medical marijuana is going to happen and someone will be paid to dispense it. Our hospitals are in dire need of an annual cash infusion, we constantly need new equipment. I hope our government will consider supporting our hospitals over big business. Elaine Unsworth Dresden - --- MAP posted-by: Matt