Out of all the impressive individuals fighting for the prime opportunity to sell cannabis in Canada’s attempts at legalization, the country’s biggest pharmaceutical retailer, Shoppers Drug Mart, is deeming itself as the best option for Canadians.
According to Shoppers Spokeswoman Lana Gogas, “We believe that dispensing medical marijuana through pharmacy, like other medications, is the safest option. Current Health Canada regulations stipulate that the only legal method to obtain medical marijuana is through a licensed producer. Therefore, pharmacies are not permitted to dispense medical marijuana at this time.”
Shoppers are not the only drug distributor that would like to be a part of the movement. London Drugs in Western Canada is also attempting to obtain cannabis as a legal option for its stores. According to John Tse, Vice President of the Pharmacy, “We believe that it would be distributed — and should be distributed — through pharmacies, where pharmacies can help guide people to use this on a medical basis.”
With a similar attitude, the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) “did an about-face” during the month of April by alternating their position from back in 2013, when they were completely against drug stores being able to distribute cannabis. The old belief was that there was a lack of research and proof on the benefits of medical marijuana and that crime would increase if drug stores began selling the product. At the moment, the CPhA has changed and decided that drug stories are not only an option but also the best option to sell medical marijuana.
“Pharmacists are the safest and best equipped to provide clinical advice to patients and provide appropriate oversight. Pharmacist involvement in dispensing of medical marijuana would help identify potential problems such as drug interactions, alternative therapies, contraindications and potential addictive behavior, and provide the opportunity for patient counseling on appropriate use,” Phil Emberley, Director of Professional Affairs, Canadian Pharmacists Association, stated.
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