“We believe that dispensing medical marijuana through pharmacy, like other medications, is the safest option”.
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Now some of B.C.’s biggest pharmacies, including Shoppers Drug Mart and London Drugs want in.
For pharmacies to sell cannabis over the counter, the federal government would first have to revise the former Conservative administration’s Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, which only permit the drug to be distributed via a mail-order system.
“London Drugs is not doing anything with medical marijuana today, but we anticipate that most likely the legislation will change to enable medical marijuana to be more accessible”, John Tse, vice-president of pharmacy for London Drugs, told Metro.
A Globe and Mail article Wednesday said Shoppers has held meetings with medical marijuana producers and suppliers over the past year about selling marijuana.
For most Canadians, Shoppers Drug Mart is a one-stop shop for everything from makeup, to cold medication, to snacks.
Gobuty said there’s been interest by the drugstore chains to dispense medical marijuana because offering infused oils is now a “viable option”.
This follows reports that Shoppers Drug Mart is doing the same thing.
The Liberal government has promised to make the drug legal for recreational use, not just medical.
Tse says having control of the product and knowing its source means a trained pharmacist can diagnose problems.
“(Our) members are really in the right position to manage the distribution and patient access”, Allan Austin, a spokesman for the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, said Wednesday.
“Pharmacists are experts in medication and medication management”, said spokesman Allan Austin.
“When we look at it, pharmacies are always helping patients with their healthcare and ensuring they get positive health outcomes”.
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Tse says there’s now not much actual research on marijuana and its pharmacological effects, but that his company is looking into it.
