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You must contact the licensed producer directly for pricing information. A list of licensed producers and their contact information is maintained on the List of Authorized Licensed Producers web page on the Health Canada website.
If your healthcare practitioner supports the use of marijuana for medical purposes in your case, he/she must complete a medical document on your behalf.
You must also contact the licensed producer to obtain a registration form, if required, to complete and submit along with your medical document. The registration form and medical document must be submitted directly to the licensed producer. Do not send your medical document or registration form to Health Canada.
For more information, see Procedures for Accessing Marijuana for Medical Purposes.
Yes. Licensed producers are allowed to provide dried marijuana for medical purposes.
Yes. Please contact licensed producers for additional information.
Licensed producers are required to follow the Technical Specifications for Testing Dried Marihuana for Medical Purposes. This document is available on the Health Canada website and outlines the conditions that must be met for quality assurance. Health Canada inspects licensed producers to ensure they meet the requirements of the regulations, including these specifications.
Licensed producers are responsible for setting their own prices. Please contact licensed producers directly for this type of information.
Yes. Under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations there is a possession cap of either 30 times the daily quantity of dried marijuana indicated by your healthcare practitioner on your medical document, or 150 grams of dried marijuana, whichever is less. You cannot possess or store an amount of marijuana that exceeds this amount.
No. The MMAR were repealed on March 31, 2014; however, as a result of a Federal Court Order granted on March 21, 2014, individuals who were previously authorized to possess and produce marijuana under the MMAR, and who meet the terms of the Court Order, will be able to continue to do so on an interim basis until the Court reaches a final decision. As ordered by the Court, individuals with an Authorization to Possess (ATP) valid on March 21, 2014, may hold a maximum quantity of dried marijuana as specified by their ATP or 150 grams, whichever is less.
If your licence falls under the Federal Court Order, you may be able to continue to grow marijuana plants. The Federal Court Order applies to PUPLs and DPPLs that were valid on or after September 30, 2013, and were connected to a related ATP that was valid on, or after, March 21, 2014. PUPLs and DPPLs that fall under the Court Order will remain in place with the same terms and conditions as identified on their licence. Note that address, number of plants, storage amounts, etc. cannot be changed. Additionally, note that the 150 gram possession cap now applies.
Health Canada does not provide legal advice as to the validity of licences or authorizations under the MMAR. Individuals wishing to determine whether they fall under the Federal Court Order should seek independent legal advice.
If Health Canada has revoked your authorization or licence prior to March 21, 2014, you do not fall within the terms of the Federal Court Order and it cannot be reinstated or reissued. Health Canada will not issue new ones or amend existing ATPs, PUPLs, or DPPLs.
If your ATP was revoked prior to March 21, 2014, the associated PUPL/DPPL cannot be reinstated or reissued.
If your authorization or licence falls within the terms of the Federal Court Order, Health Canada can send you a reprint of your existing licence. Please note your licence is only extended in accordance with the terms under which it was originally issued (no change of address, number of plants, storage amounts, etc.).
Effective March 31, 2014, the MMAR are repealed. Health Canada therefore cannot issue new authorizations or licences under the MMAR. If your authorization or licence falls within the terms of the Federal Court Order, Health Canada can send you a reprint of your existing licence upon request. Dates and addresses will not be amended.
Plant and storage amounts remain as noted on your PUPL or DPPL. Under the new regulations, individuals who are registered with a licensed producer may possess the lesser of a 30-day supply of dried marijuana or 150 grams of dried marijuana. As part of the Federal Court Order, an ATP holder may hold a maximum quantity of dried marijuana as specified by their ATP or 150 grams, whichever is less.
Health Canada no longer supplies marijuana for medical purposes.
The Court Order addresses individuals who meet two criteria:
If you and your healthcare practitioner determine that you require access to marijuana for medical purposes you may register with a licensed producer. For more information, visit the Procedures for Accessing Marijuana for Medical Purposes web page.
No. Your licence is only extended in accordance with the terms under which it was originally issued. If you no longer want your designated person to produce marijuana on your behalf, you may seek to register with a licensed producer under the MMPR.
If you are unsatisfied with your source of supply you may seek to register with a licensed producer under the MMPR.
No. The MMAR were repealed on March 31, 2014, and Health Canada is no longer processing any new ATPs/licences or amending existing documents.
The licence or authorization is only extended in accordance with the terms under which it was originally issued (address, number of plants, storage amounts, etc.). You cannot transfer your licence or authorization to a different address.
You can demonstrate legal possession of marijuana for medical purposes by presenting your ATP/PUPL/DPPL to police. Note that lawful possession/production is limited to what is specified in your ATP/PUPL/DPPL. If the officer is unaware of the injunction order, he/she may call Health Canada to verify certain authorization or licence information.
No. The MMAR were repealed on March 31, 2014, and Health Canada no longer sells marijuana for medical purposes. If you and your healthcare practitioner determine that you require access to marijuana for medical purposes, you may seek to register with a licensed producer. For more information, visit the Procedures for Accessing Marijuana for Medical Purposes web page.
Further guidance and information is available for licensed producers on the Guidance, Directives, Policy, and Information Bulletins web page.
The application form and application guidance documents are available on the Licensed Producers web page.
To become a licensed producer, you must meet all requirements of the MMPR, including but not limited to:
For further information, please refer to the Licensed Producers and the Guidance, Directives, Policy and Information Bulletins web page.
If you have any questions about these requirements or the application process, you can send us your questions by email to MMPR-RMFM@hc-sc.gc.ca or call us toll-free at 1-866-337-7705.
Once complete, your application must be submitted to the following address:
Controlled Drugs Section
Licences and Permits Division
Office of Controlled Substances
Controlled Substances and Tobacco Directorate
Health Canada
Address Locator: 0300B
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
All relevant sections of the application form must be completed and all required documents must be submitted. An incomplete application will not be processed and will be returned to you.
A licensed producer may only conduct the activities indicated on their licence. Each licence obtained under the MMPR will specify the activities authorized to be conducted at the site. Authorized activities can include production, sale or provision, possession, packaging and transportation.
The licence will also indicate:
In some cases, specific conditions may also be listed on a licence. For more information, visit the Policies, Directives, Guidance and Information Bulletins web page.
As a licensed producer, when registering and renewing clients you must ensure:
A licensed producer may also require clients to provide additional supporting documentation.
Once the client has been successfully registered, you must send a copy of the Authorization to Possess document to Health Canada at the following address:
Office of Medical Cannabis
Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch
Health Canada
Address Locator: 0300A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Please note that March 31, 2015, was the last date on which a client could register using an ATP in place of a medical document.
In accordance with paragraph 117(1)(e) of the MMPR, all orders must be cancelled from the day that the licensed producer receives the notification from Health Canada. The licensed producer may not continue to ship dried marijuana to any clients who submitted a medical document signed by the healthcare practitioner. The client must find a new healthcare practitioner and initiate a new registration process by submitting a new medical document. Only when the new registration is accepted will the licensed producer will be allowed to sell or provide dried marijuana to the client.
Licensed producers set their own prices.
An individual who obtains dried marijuana for their own medical purpose or for those of another individual for whom they are responsible must not possess a quantity of dried marijuana that exceeds the limits specified in Section 5 of the MMPR.
The MMPR do not specify or limit what strains of dried marijuana can be cultivated.
No. The MMPR only permit the sale of dried marijuana.
Production sites can only be located indoors.
No.
Licensed producers must comply with all federal, provincial/territorial and municipal laws and by-laws, including municipal zoning by-laws. Licensed producers are required to notify their local government, local police force, and local fire officials of their intention to apply to Health Canada, so that local authorities are aware of their proposed location and activities. Licensed producers are also required to communicate with local authorities whenever there is a change in the status of their licence.
For more information, reference the Compliance with Local Laws information bulletin.
Licensed producers should apply to renew their licence a minimum of three months before the licence is set to expire. A licensed producer cannot conduct activities involving cannabis without a valid licence.
Please refer to the document entitled Information for Healthcare Professionals: Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the Cannabinoids for the latest information on the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Using a medical document completed by their healthcare practitioner, your patient must send the original medical document to a licensed producer with a registration form (provided by the licensed producer). The licensed producer will fill and ship your patient's order, based on the daily amount of dried marijuana indicated on the medical document.
Form B "Medical Practitioner's Form" is the outdated document under the old regulations and should not be used.
Various surveys published in peer-reviewed literature suggest that the majority of people using inhaled or orally-ingested cannabis for medical purposes are using less than 3 grams of cannabis per day. Please refer to the Health Canada Daily Amount Fact Sheet (Dosage) for additional information.
While there are no restrictions under the MMPR on the daily amount that you may recommend, there is a possession cap of the lesser of 150 grams or 30 times the daily amount.
The medical document must be completed annually (or sooner if you recommend a shorter duration) to ensure that you continue to support your patient's use of marijuana.
Please consult Information for Healthcare Professionals: Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the Cannabinoids for further information.
Please consult Information for Healthcare Professionals: Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the Cannabinoids for further information.
Typically, dried marijuana is inhaled. Smoking is not recommended. Some individuals use their dried marijuana with a vaporizer or in teas.
Please consult Information for Healthcare Professionals: Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the Cannabinoids for further information.
Drugs are authorized for sale in Canada (and receive a DIN) once they have successfully gone through the drug review process. This process is the means by which Health Canada scientists review a drug application to assess the safety, efficacy, and quality of a drug in order to make sure the drug meets the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and its regulations. With the exception of Sativex® and Cesamet®, which have received Notices of Compliance authorizing their sale as therapeutic products in Canada, scientific studies do not demonstrate that marijuana is safe and effective for medical use to the extent required by the Food and Drug Regulations for marketed drugs in Canada. Except with respect to the above-mentioned drugs, at present no applicants have obtained approval under the FDA and its regulations, with respect to marijuana. As such, there can be no DIN associated with marijuana for medical purposes. However, marijuana for medical purposes is legally accessible by registering directly with a licensed producer under the terms of the MMPR.
You may contact the licensed producer(s) directly to obtain information about the strain(s) of dried marijuana available. Each product label must include the percentage of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and percentage of Cannabidiol (CBD) in the lot and batch that is being sold.
A list of licensed producers and their contact information is maintained on the Licensed Producers web page.
Please consult Information for Healthcare Professionals: Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the Cannabinoids, which contains updated information on the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
As of April 1, 2014, Health Canada is not issuing further licences to individuals. If an ATP was revoked, the associated PUPL/DPPL does not fall within the terms of the Federal Court Order.
The police service line will continue to operate.
If an individual presents you with the packaging or a document included in their order of dried marijuana from a licensed producer, you may contact the licensed producer to confirm the registration and the daily quantity of dried marijuana. The licensed producer must confirm that you are a member of a Canadian police force, and the information must be requested in the context of an investigation under the CDSA or the MMPR, and you must provide the name of the individual, the date of birth, and the gender.
Yes. The MMPR impose a maximum possession cap of the lesser of 150 grams of dried marijuana or 30 times their daily authorized amount at any one time. For example, if an individual has a daily amount of 2 grams per day, their possession cap would be 60 grams.
As well, as ordered by the Court, individuals with an ATP valid on March 21, 2014, may hold a maximum quantity of dried marijuana as specified by their ATP or 150 grams, whichever is less.
Licensed producers must comply with all federal, provincial/territorial and municipal laws and by-laws, including municipal zoning by-laws. Licensed producers are required to notify their local government, local police force, and local fire officials of their intention to apply to Health Canada, so that local authorities are aware of their proposed location and activities. Licensed producers are also required to communicate with local authorities whenever there is a change in the status of their licence. Health Canada inspects for compliance with the MMPR, the Narcotic Control Regulations, and other related regulations under the CDSA.
For more information, reference the Compliance with Local Laws information bulletin.
Local authorities can communicate any concerns directly to the production site owner and enforce local legislation and by-laws.
For more information, reference the Compliance with Local Laws information bulletin.
No. Licensed producers must ship dried marijuana directly to the client, to an individual responsible for the client, or to the client's healthcare practitioner (if indicated).