The main change is to eliminate personal production in favour of licensed commercial producers who would be inspected and audited by Health Canada.

Spokesperson Stéphane Shank said the government just finished a consultation period on the changes last month. The government is now analyzing the results, with a plan to implement the changes by March 31, 2014.

Currently there are three types of medical marijuana licences — authorization to possess, personal-use production (can only produce for yourself), and designated-person production (can produce for someone authorized to possess).

The licences to possess marijuana or grow marijuana for yourself require a medical declaration by a doctor. Doctors are supposed to ensure patients have severe pain or other health problems that cannot or should not be treated by a conventional treatment.

Someone with a recent criminal record for drug activity cannot get a licence to grow for someone else. Health Canada requires a criminal conviction to revoke someone’s licence.

However, Shank said the government cannot readily provide statistics about how many licences have been revoked.

Health Canada has 15 inspectors.

The amount of marijuana someone can produce is based on a specific calculation on the patient’s medical needs and can vary widely. There are extra steps if the maximum amount is more than 5 grams dried daily.

Those with a licence to produce marijuana for another person can hold two licences, and only four licences are allowed to be used at one address, Shank said.

For more information about the Marihuana Medical Access Program and planned changes visit Health Canada’s website.

Source: thespec.com via truthonpot.com