Medical Update Memo
JULY 13, 2001
Summary
New government of Canada regulations governing possession and
production of marijuana for medical purposes will come into
effect on July 30, 2001. People with MS who have serious pain
and/or persistent muscle spasms are covered specifically in
the regulations under Category 2. A guide to the regulations
and an application form will be available on the Health Canada
web site at: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/ocma/bckdr_4-0601.htm
or by calling Health Canada's Office of Cannabis Medical Access
at 613 954-6540. The MS Society of Canada welcomes Health Canada's
initiative in providing a more compassionate system of possession
and production for individuals who feel they may benefit from
the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. The MS Society
is pleased that Health Canada and CIHR are providing funding
for research to determine if marijuana has potential for use
as a medicine.
Details
New government of Canada regulations governing possession
and production of marijuana for medical purposes will come into
effect on July 30, 2001. The government is also providing research
funding and, in addition, has entered into a contract with a
company to grow marijuana for medical purposes. Health Minister
Allan Rock called the changed regulations "a landmark in
our ongoing effort to give Canadians suffering from grave and
debilitating illnesses access to marijuana for medical purposes."
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruling July 31, 2000 in the case
of Regina v. Parker prompted changes to the regulations.
People with MS who have serious pain and/or
persistent muscle spasms are covered specifically in the regulations
under Category 2. Category 1 is for applicants who have terminal
illnesses. Category 2 applicants must provide a declaration
from a medical specialist to support their applications. The
applicant must confirm that conventional treatments have been
tried or considered and found to be medically inappropriate.
Successful applicants who receive an authorization
to possess medical marijuana are allowed to have a maximum 30-day
treatment supply. They can also hold a licence of production
to grow their own marijuana or choose to have a designated person
grow it for them. Plans are underway for medical grade marijuana
to be grown under licence to Health Canada and subsequently
be made available to people who have an authorization to possess
medical marijuana for medical purposes.
A guide to the regulations and an application
form will be available on the Health Canada web site at:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/ocma/bckdr_4-0601.htm or by calling
Health Canada's Office of Cannabis Medical Access at 613 954-6540.
Health Canada made proposed regulations
public in April and asked for public input. The new regulations
include several changes:
-
Individuals will manage their own authorizations
and licences, not needing to have them held by physicians
as under the original proposal.
-
Growing restrictions have been modified
to allow more flexibility in urban areas. However, precautions
must be taken for meaningful security.
-
People who were granted exemptions previously
under section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
will be given a reasonable amount of time to comply with
the new regulations.
-
Health Canada will provide an identification
card to all authorized individuals and holders of production
licences.
Marijuana Research
There is little scientific evidence that marijuana, either in
a smoked form or its active ingredients processed into capsules,
is effective for medical purposes. Claims of benefit are largely
anecdotal although a little research with animals has found
some benefit in temporarily controlling spasticity and tremor
in an MS-like animal model. Research is underway in Great Britain
which should provide more information in the future.
Health Canada has established a research
program to investigate the medical use of marijuana. The first
study to be funded is a pilot study on patterns and prevalence
of cannabis use among people living with HIV/AIDS. Additional
research is anticipated from this study.
Funding is available through the Health Canada/Canadian
Institutes of Health Research Medical Marijuana Research Program.
The MS Society of Canada has advised MS clinics of the availability
of the funding program. As yet, there are no studies underway
in Canada involving MS and marijuana.
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Viewpoint
The MS Society of Canada welcomes Health Canada's initiative
in providing a more compassionate system of possession and production
for individuals who feel they may benefit from the use of marijuana
for medicinal purposes. The MS Society is pleased that Health
Canada and CIHR are providing funding for research to determine
if marijuana has potential for use as a medicine. Properly controlled
clinical trials should provide better information as to the
drug's potential benefit.
In addition, the MS Society is collecting
the names and contact information from individuals who wish
to be considered if a clinical trial of MS and marijuana takes
place. Those who are interested can forward their names and
contact information to their division office or directly to
the national office in care of:
National Communications and Social Action
Department
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
250 Bloor St. E., Suite 1000
Toronto ON M4W 3P9
Fax: 416 922-7538
E-mail: info@mssociety.ca
For more information on the Health Canada
medical marijuana program see the ministry web site:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/ocma/bckdr_4-0601.htm
Disclaimer
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is an independent,
voluntary health agency and does not approve, endorse or recommend
any specific product or therapy but provides information to
assist individuals in making their own decisions.
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