{"id":6534,"date":"2019-07-10T09:27:12","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T13:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/?p=6534"},"modified":"2025-04-12T14:09:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T18:09:18","slug":"weed-is-legal-now-so-why-use-medical-marijuana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/weed-is-legal-now-so-why-use-medical-marijuana\/","title":{"rendered":"Weed is legal now, so why use medical marijuana?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recreational cannabis is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/edibles-versus-smoking-cannabis\/\">now legal<\/a> throughout Canada, but doctors continue to prescribe it for certain conditions. Now that every of-age Canadian can access marijuana, some are wondering if medical cannabis \u2014 and the extra work to become certified as a medical user \u2014 is even necessary. But when it comes to treating specific health concerns, there are several reasons for<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> using <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">medical marijuana<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Supply<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You\u2019ve probably seen the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-46200873\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">headlines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> declaring that entire provinces have run out of cannabis. And while there have been instances of medical users having trouble locating supply, many <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/winnipeg.ctvnews.ca\/supply-challenges-in-cannabis-industry-affecting-medical-patients-1.4175718\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">producers prioritize<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> access to product for their medical clients. Some suppliers of medical cannabis also contacted their clients before nation-wide legalization, urging them to stock up in advance. And if specific suppliers do\u00a0run out, patients are able to switch to another provider offering the product they need. They can even buy out of province, since unlike recreational users, they face no geographical limitations on purchasing product.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Currently it appears that it may take up to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/business\/canada-cannabis-shortage-years-1.4988195\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">18 months<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for supply to ramp up to meet demand. Medical users simply\u00a0can\u2019t afford to be without their medicine for that long. Keeping the two markets separate helps to prioritize medical access over recreational.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Cost<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because medical marijuana is a medicine, users can receive coverage through their insurance. Canadian veterans prescribed cannabis, for example, are eligible for reimbursement of $8.50 a gram, up to three grams a day through <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.veterans.gc.ca\/eng\/help\/faq\/cannabis-medical-purposes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Veterans Affairs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. But it\u2019s not just the armed forces who have this access. Major insurers such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.morneaushepell.com\/ca-en\/insights\/court-rules-medical-marijuana-coverage-not-required-two-insurers-add-medical-marijuana\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sun Life and Green Shield Canada<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> have given plan sponsors the option of adding it to their employee coverage plans. This means that organizations using these insurers can reimburse their employees for the cost of medical marijuana, just like any other prescription medication. And for those of us lucky enough to have health spending accounts, expensing medical cannabis is\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cfamm.ca\/coverage-tips\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">usually permitted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In instances where users don\u2019t have insurance coverage, some providers offer compassionate pricing. So while <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www150.statcan.gc.ca\/t1\/tbl1\/en\/tv.action?pid=1810021101\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">medical cannabis prices<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> per gram are on par with or slightly higher than recreational marijuana, these providers may lower the price for medical users on disability or a fixed income.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What does medical marijuana treat?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cannabis<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0(both medical and recreational) is used for a variety of conditions, evidence-based research doesn\u2019t currently\u00a0support all of them. Because marijuana has been illegal for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/health\/marijuana-was-criminalized-in-1923-but-why-1.2630436\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">close to a century<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, scientists have had difficulty getting approval and funding for clinical trials. Limited trials are underway on a number of different issues, such as whether cannabis can help alleviate certain <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6333745\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">symptoms of autism spectrum disorder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. But doctors are likely to be reluctant to prescribe medical marijuana for such uses. More widely accepted is the use of marijuana to treat chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and low appetite. For cancer patients and those living with AIDS, medical cannabis can help combat nausea and promote appetite, to improve quality of life while counteracting the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK224400\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">malnutrition and wasting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> common with these conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Medical marijuana uses<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marijuana is prescribed for conditions that<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0can be treated by other drugs in many instances. Many of the\u00a0other medications, however, have additional side effects consumers are wary of. Chronic pain is a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">condition treated by medical cannabis<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that doctors previously prescribed opioids for. Given the ongoing opioid crisis in Canada, many <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5845915\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">prefer cannabis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as an alternative to highly addictive drugs such as oxycodone. And for AIDS or cancer patients, cannabis can function as a replacement for, or in addition to, other prescription medication. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Physician guidance<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doctors control prescription medication to ensure that patients are treating their condition accurately. Currently, Canadian doctors don&#8217;t prescribe cannabis unless they feel that it is the best course of treatment for the patient. Furthermore, according to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oma.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ontario Medical Association<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (OMA), they must \u201cadvise patients of the material risks and benefits, effects and interactions, material side-effects, contraindications, [and] precautions.\u201d This means that when you get a prescription for medical marijuana from a doctor, you\u2019re also benefiting from the physician\u2019s knowledge. They&#8217;ll explain how much to take, how it will affect you, and any other information you need to know. Your local cannabis retailer simply doesn\u2019t have the same knowledge when it comes to treating medical issues with marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The evidence is still coming in on whether medical marijuana treats a host of different ailments. We do know, however, that it works for certain conditions. Ensuring that the medical stream remains separate from the recreational one is crucial for medical users. It means they can access a safe and reliable supply with the guidance and financial backing that they need.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>The information presented here is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace the advice from your medical professional.<\/i><i><\/i><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>When using virtual care, all medical treatment is at the sole discretion of the provider. Virtual care is not meant for medical emergencies, and your provider will determine if your case is appropriate for virtual care. If you are experiencing an emergency like chest pain or difficulties breathing, for example, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Now that you can legally buy cannabis in Canada, is there any reason to see a doctor for a medical marijuana prescription? In short \u2014 yes!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":6609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[7378],"tags":[],"acf":{"image":{"ID":6609,"id":6609,"title":"Medical versus recreational cannabis","filename":"MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c.jpg","filesize":157578,"url":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/weed-is-legal-now-so-why-use-medical-marijuana\/map101_maple_blog_cannabis_01c\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"map101_maple_blog_cannabis_01c","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":6534,"date":"2019-06-26 14:52:56","modified":"2019-10-03 17:52:29","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2880,"height":1180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-300x123.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":123,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-768x315.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":315,"large":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-1024x420.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":420,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":629,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":839,"square1200":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-1200x1180.jpg","square1200-width":1200,"square1200-height":1180,"square600":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-600x600.jpg","square600-width":600,"square600-height":600,"square300":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-300x300.jpg","square300-width":300,"square300-height":300,"square200":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-200x200.jpg","square200-width":200,"square200-height":200,"square100":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-100x100.jpg","square100-width":100,"square100-height":100,"feature1200":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-1200x600.jpg","feature1200-width":1200,"feature1200-height":600,"feature1100":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-1100x500.jpg","feature1100-width":1100,"feature1100-height":500,"feature800":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-800x400.jpg","feature800-width":800,"feature800-height":400,"feature400":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-400x200.jpg","feature400-width":400,"feature400-height":200,"facebook1200":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-1200x630.jpg","facebook1200-width":1200,"facebook1200-height":630,"medium_retina":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-1200x492.jpg","medium_retina-width":1200,"medium_retina-height":492,"large_retina":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/MAP101_Maple_Blog_Cannabis_01c-2360x967.jpg","large_retina-width":2360,"large_retina-height":967}},"intro_text":"","meta_description":"","add_promotional_banner":false,"add_call_to_action":false,"show_age_gate":false,"reviewer":false,"author":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.4 (Yoast SEO v18.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Weed is legal now, so why use medical marijuana? | Maple<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Now that you can legally buy cannabis in Canada, is there any reason to see a doctor for a medical marijuana prescription? 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