Pubdate: Mon, 19 Dec 2016
Source: Sun Times, The (Owen Sound, CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Owen Sound Sun Times
Contact: http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/letters
Website: http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1544
Author: Scott Dunn
Page: A3

WHAT RULES ARE ON THE WAY?

The task force that studied questions raised about regulated legal
access to marijuana has a chapter on how medical marijuana use should
be treated.

It recommends maintaining the current, separate licensing system for
possessing marijuana for medical purposes and for growing it, with
some changes.

It says the federal government should watch closely to ensure CBD-rich
strains (as opposed to the high-inducing THC strains) of marijuana are
available and reasonably affordable for patients, with regulations to
give government teeth to ensure it is.

This could include requiring licensed producers "to prioritize supply
for medical users or establishing price controls for medical users."

It recommends the government review the rules that currently allow
those with marijuana grow licences to designate others to grow for
them.

This is in response to law enforcement concerns that some people have
been exploiting that exemption to supply drugs illegally, the report
says.

The majority of the task force members believed he government should
determine a timeframe for phasing out the provision to allow
designated growers "as the new system for non-medical uses of cannabis
is established."

It proposes to tax medical and non-medical marijuana under the same
tax system.

By doing so, the report says, if cannabis- and cannabinoid based
medicines qualify for FDA approval for prescription medications, they
would be HST exempt. And with a corresponding drug information number,
they would become eligible for insurance coverage.

The government should promote and support pre-clinical and clinical
research on the use of cannabis and cannabinoids for medical purposes
to facilitate these FDA designations.

It should also help the medical community and patients learn more
about appropriate medical cannabis uses, the report said.

The task force also recommends evaluating the medical marijuana access
framework in five years.
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MAP posted-by: Matt