LP Petitions for Cannabis Prescription Coverage
Cannalogue Asks Health Canada to Ensure All Who Need Medical Cannabis Can Get It – LPC
Cannalogue has asked Health Canada to include cannabis prescription coverage in its insurance program for people in need. The Toronto-based medical cannabis retailer said that it would be an important step for getting many off opioid-based drugs such as oxycontin. About 50 per cent of patients cannot afford medical cannabis or CBD treatments, the petition stated. Those numbers are expected to get worse during COVID.
“The doctors at Cannalogue believe this will cause a spike in opioid prescriptions, resulting in more opioid-related addictions and deaths,” Cannalogue said in its petition.
Cannalogue asked for permission to test cannabis medicine for COVID-19 in March this year.
Many see cannabis as part of the solution to the opioid crisis. Already New Brunswick, PEI, and Ontario have added medical cannabis coverage to their workers’ compensation policies. Others have noted that medical cannabis patients pay the same amount of tax as recreational users. This, critics say, could put it out of reach for people in need.
“Removing the barriers that prevent access to medical cannabis is the fundamental goal of Cannalogue,” said Dr. Mohan Cooray, president and CEO of Cannalogue. “This petition will help us ensure that disadvantaged groups, including those below the poverty line, get the medications they need.”
Cannabis prescription coverage would be a huge step towards recognizing cannabis as a viable medical option. It would also go a long way to reducing the stigma of cannabis.
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