Licensed Producers are licensed by Health Canada to grow and/or sell cannabis products in Canada. They must adhere to strict testing procedures that guarantee their product to be safe as medicine and to also clearly state the levels of THC and CBD, two of the main cannabinoids in marijuana.
Now that cannabis is legal in Canada the product you purchase from legal recreational outlets is supplied by these same licensed Producers and has been lab tested. Product from illegal “black market” sources may not always be tested to the same standards and therefore there is no guarantee of its content or safety.
Novice cannabis users can be badly affected by high levels of THC, especially with cannabis edibles so they should know the precise amount of THC in products they buy. Always START LOW AND GO SLOW !
You may wonder why you would need a Medical Marijuana License now that marijuana is legal in Canada.
Licensed Producers offer some strains with very low THC levels for patients first starting to use Medical Marijuana, or for those who can not tolerate high THC levels, and also some high CBD strains that contain very little THC. Recreational marijuana outlets may not always stock as much of these products as do Medical Marijuana Sites. Some Licensed Producers, who will also be supplying the recreational market with cannabis, are offering lower prices on the same strains to their Medical Marijuana customers !
Another big advantage to having a Medical Marijuana License is for Income Tax Purposes.
When you purchase products from Medical Marijuana Licensed Producers you receive a receipt and can claim any related costs in your HEALTH DEDUCTIONS section at Tax time. You will not be able to claim marijuana expenses incurred in the recreational market.
In the course of a year your expenses for dried cannabis and oils can be quite substantial so it is good to be able to claim them !
As noted earlier, the Federal Government is now TAXING MEDICAL MARIJUANA along with taxation of recreational marijuana. As long as patients are required to obtain approval from a doctor in order to purchase legal medical marijuana, it should be treated like any other prescription drug …. and prescription drugs in Canada are NOT SUBJECT TO TAX !! At this time, however, until this unjust tax is removed, many Licensed Producers are absorbing this tax so, as a licensed medical marijuana patient, you may not have to pay this tax.
If you are relying on marijuana as your medicine you’ll want to be sure there is a reliable supply. For the first few months of recreational legalization there will be no, or very few, retail outlets in most provinces. With a medical marijuana license from a Licensed Producer, however, many are offering a guarantee that they will prioritize their Medical customers to ensure supply is on hand. You are able to order strains online, or by phone, and have them delivered to your home. Some Licensed Producers will be open for orders 7 days a week from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM EST.
With legal recreational marijuana you are allowed to carry 30 grams of marijuana whereas, with a Medical Marijuana License, you may carry up to 150 grams.
With legalization of recreational marijuana most provinces will allow the cultivation of four plants per household.
For the average person this amount of marijuana may last until the next crop is ready. For medical marijuana patients, however, who are using marijuana daily, four plants may not produce enough for their needs. With a medical marijuana license you can also apply for another license to grow your own plants and the amount allowed may be much greater than what is allowed under recreational marijuana rules.
Health Canada provides a calculator to determine how many plants you may grow….HERE
You can get more information and download the application forms to grow your own… HERE.
If you have a Health Canada license to grow a certain number of medical plants you are also permitted to grow the 4 recreational plants per household allowed under legalization in most provinces.
To begin the process of obtaining a Medical Marijuana License you must first visit the Web Site, or phone, one of the Licensed Producers to register and download two forms.
One form is for you to complete which simply collects your name, address, phone, gender and the contact information of your doctor.
The second form is for your doctor to complete and sign. Both completed forms can be faxed from your doctor’s office to the Licensed Producer.
Your doctor does NOT have to give any information about your condition….that is optional.
Your doctor must also prescribe the amount of cannabis you need in grams per day, week, or month. 12 months is the limit as you must renew your license every year.
The downloaded form that your doctor signs and submits is, in effect, your prescription so you must have this form printed from the Licensed Producer’s Web Site before you visit your doctor. You are not limited to acquiring a license from only one Licensed Producer !! Different producers carry different strains and products so you may find that two, or even more, producers have strains you might want to try. However, you can not order more than your monthly limit.
You are not legally allowed to possess more than 30 times your daily prescription or 150 grams, (5.3 oz.)… whichever is less. For example, if your doctor prescribes 3 grams a day from each LP you can only order 90 grams a month TOTAL from all producers with whom you are licensed…..you can not legally get 90 grams a month from each one…. although this rule appears to be “self regulated”.
I am registered with several Licensed Producers because they each carry different strains that are beneficial and if one producer does not have a strain I want I can get something beneficial from another. They have excellent strains and very knowledgeable and helpful staff. I can not order my total monthly amount from each producer, though. I can order part of my monthly limit from one and another part from another or all from one and none from the others. The amount of cannabis in your possession can not legally exceed 150 grams or 30 times your daily prescription whichever is less.
The complete Cannabis Regulations (formerly ACMPR) can be accessed HERE.
The complete list of Health Canada approved Licensed Producers can be found HERE….
(Please continue reading for now….this link is also on the “Conclusion & Links” page)
Scroll part way down the page to see the list of Licensed Producers.
You can visit the Web Sites of each of these LPs by clicking on their name in the list. You’ll want to check several Sites to examine descriptions of their strains and to compare prices. Most LPs offer “Compassionate Pricing” for low income patients and for veterans.
Once a Licensed Producer has received the forms from your doctor they will notify you that your application has been approved. You can then go online, or phone their customer service, to place an order. Your order will arrive at your door via Canada Post XpressPost and will require your signature.
The label on the bottle containing your medicine will include your doctor’s prescription and that label, along with a wallet card you’ll receive, will be your proof that you are licensed. If you are stopped by the police you are required to show them the bottle with the label attached.
Under the new Cannabis Regulations (formerly ACMPR) you are also permitted to GROW YOUR OWN CANNABIS.
The amount you can grow is based on the amount of Medical Marijuana your doctor has prescribed for you and also on whether you plan to grow your plants indoors or outdoors.
Health Canada provides a calculator to determine how many plants you may grow….HERE
For instance, if your doctor prescribed 5 grams per day, you would be allowed to grow 10 plants outdoors plus the 4 recreational plants allowed under the Cannabis Act (in most provinces).
You can get more information and download the application forms to grow your own… HERE.
If you have a valid Medical Marijuana License and/or a License to grow your own cannabis, you can have your cannabis tested by an approved licensed laboratory. Health Canada provides a list of these Laboratories…. HERE
WARNING ! If you are planning to grow cannabis INDOORS you should be aware that, even though you may have a Legal License to grow Cannabis from Health Canada, many Insurance Companies in Canada Do Not Allow Indoor Marijuana Grow Operations, Legal or Illegal, and could, possibly, refuse to cover any claims !
WHAT IF MY DOCTOR WILL NOT SIGN MY FORM ?
It can be very difficult, if not extremely difficult, to find a doctor willing to prescribe Marijuana.
SpectrumCannabis, one of the Licensed Producers with whom I am registered, may be able to help you find a sympathetic doctor. Visit their Web Site page HERE, and you can start the process of obtaining your Medical Marijuana License through Apollo Cannabis Clinic.
There is another avenue you may want to explore, if your doctor will not prescribe Marijuana.
The Lift Resource Centre, may be able to arrange a “Telemedicine” meeting for you to remotely meet with one of their doctors to discuss obtaining a license.
You could also type the name of your city in the form on this page https://lift.co/clinics to find a list of clinics that might help in your area.
One of my close friends followed this route after her doctor declined to sign her application and, although it did take some time and perseverance, she did eventually get her license from a Licensed Producer.
There are now several “specialty medical clinics” across Canada that arrange consultations with physicians online or in person to assess patients and write prescriptions for those who qualify.
Apollo Cannabis Clinic does not require a referral from your doctor. You can arrange a “virtual appointment” where you meet with a health care professional online to obtain your Medical Marijuana License.
Cannabinoid Medical Clinic , has 22 locations across Canada where, with a referral from your doctor, you can meet with one of their doctors to discuss Medical Marijuana for your particular condition. If your own doctor may not feel comfortable prescribing marijuana, as he/she may not know enough about it, the physicians at these clinics are more familiar with the benefits of cannabinoids and might possibly prescribe Medical Marijuana for your particular condition. There may be a cost for their service.
Canadian Cannabis Clinics also does not require a referral from your doctor and you can, again, arrange a free “virtual appointment” where you meet with a health care professional online to obtain your Medical Marijuana License.
Shoppers Drug Mart is now licensed to sell medical cannabis online and you can meet with a health care professional online to obtain your license through Telemedicine by HelloMD.
I have provided links to reliable Web Sites with more information about cannabis and cannabinoids in the section CONCLUSION AND LINKS.