Welcome to the new age of marijuana. A plant that was once branded "The Devil's Lettuce" or "The Devil's Grass" has exponentially grown in acceptance over the past decade—let alone the past two years. With legalization and decriminalisation laws advancing across the country, what does this mean for medical patients? Is a medical document no longer needed or applicable? Does access to marijuana no longer require a diagnosis or doctor's approval? Let's find out.
For decades, there has been an underlying yet pervasive interest in the use of federally-controlled marijuana for medical purposes. Since the 80s, conditions like glaucoma have become what some might call poster diseases for medical marijuana use, but modern scientific research has gone deeper, discovering links between compounds called cannabinoids which are found in cannabis (like THC, CBD, and CBN) and intractable diseases, those which heretofore remain untreatable.
As researchers continue to delve into the many different clinical applications of marijuana, governments begin to rewrite their outdated laws in keeping with society's demand for greater acceptance of a much-maligned plant.
Canada took a landmark step when the Cannabis Act came into force on October 17, 2018, making it the first G7 nation to legalise recreational cannabis nationwide. Under this federal framework, both medical and recreational cannabis are legal across all provinces and territories, though each province has established its own regulations governing retail sales, possession limits, and consumption rules. Canada's medical cannabis programme, which predates full legalisation, continues to operate alongside the recreational framework, offering registered patients distinct advantages in terms of possession limits and access. With public support for legalisation continuing to grow across the country, the cannabis landscape in Canada is evolving rapidly.
Who Uses Medical Marijuana?
While there is still a stigma surrounding marijuana use in general, the answer to the question, "Who uses medical marijuana?" might surprise you.
Hundreds of thousands of patients, if not more, turn to marijuana for its healing properties, and have done so for centuries. Cannabis is second to very few other natural analgesics, with opiate-derived medications topping the list of most potent. Everyone from children to the elderly can use cannabis products for their medical condition, and there is a growing body of research that supports this claim, taking marijuana as medicine out of the alternative scene and into the mainstream.
Because of its ability to influence the endocannabinoid system, one that regulates and maintains normal function like sleep, hunger, memory, arousal, mood, etc., it can affect a variety of different symptoms.
How Do Medical Patients Benefit from Legalisation?
The presence of a black market has always meant that patients could get marijuana, though the quality may not always have been trustworthy, and supply is never a given. With legalisation comes regulations and quality control, giving patients regular access to high-quality cannabis grown to certain specifications, available through (for the most part) respectable sources.
Not only can you be confident that you're going to get what you're paying for, it means patients also have access to a wider variety of strains, and choice means you can tailor the type of cannabis you try to meet your exact needs, i.e. young patients will want to choose marijuana strains that are high in CBD with little to no THC (the psychoactive compound), where other patients can try high-THC strains to help soothe tremors.
The benefit extends to doctors as well, who now have the authority to recommend medical cannabis products to their patients, and who can have educated discussions with any patient with questions or concerns about how marijuana may help their condition.
The Medical Marijuana Industry at Large
Truth be told, it seems like the legalisation of marijuana, for both medical and recreational patients, can have massive positive impacts at the provincial and federal level. Look at the numbers for Canada as a whole: since the Cannabis Act came into force in 2018, the legal cannabis market has generated billions of dollars in sales and hundreds of millions in tax revenue, with funds being directed toward public health initiatives, addiction services, and community programmes across the country.
Legalisation Equals Diversification
With the stigma removed from the sale and cultivation of cannabis comes the ability for breeders and entrepreneurs to develop a variety of different strains and products that reach a much wider target audience. On top of being able to purchase dried marijuana, most often used to smoke or brew into tea, you can now buy cannabis-infused edibles (baked goods or candies), concentrated tinctures, vaping oils, hash-like concentrates, shatter, pills, and more.
Marijuana vs Opiates for Medical Patients
The current epidemic of opiate overdoses sweeping Canada and the world has led doctors and caregivers to consider their options. Opiates are highly addictive. Along with other natural substances, marijuana is being strongly considered as an alternative to help curb addiction-related deaths. Physicians can provide patients with a wider variety of suitable options, taking addictive substances off the table.
Ask the magic 8 ball – is legalising medical marijuana a good thing? All signs point to yes, and the best way to wade into cannabis culture is to learn how to cultivate your own thriving medical garden. Peruse our selection of top-quality strains, suitable for both recreational and medical patients. Sativa, indica and everything in between, beginner, intermediate, and master gardeners are sure to find the perfect marijuana seeds for their pot plot.