To the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Whereas There are 15,726 patients are registered medical cannabis patients in British Columbia as of March , 2024
Whereas According to The Office of the Chief Coroner (OCC) of BC there were at least 1,158 people who have been killed by unregulated toxic drugs during the first half of 2024 in the province.This represents a rate of about six people per day.
Whereas the British Columbia Medical Association has stated that British Columbia is facing a family doctor shortage in every region of the province and the British Columbia Medical Association is warning it will continue to grow unless immediate action is taken by the government. Many British Columbians, nearly one million people (900,000), are already without a family doctor and that number is expected to nearly double in only two years.
Whereas the British Columbia’s Human Rights Code (the Code) and the British Columbia Human Rights Commission’s policies apply to cannabis in the same way they do for other drugs. The Code protects people who use cannabis for a medical purpose related to a disability from discriminatory treatment in employment, housing, services and other areas. The Code also prohibits discrimination against people who have or are perceived to have an addiction to cannabis based on the ground of disability.
Whereas policies of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia outlines the expectations for the professional conduct of physicians practising in British Columbia and the Government of Canada’s Cannabis Regulations establish the legal framework that enables patients to obtain authorization to possess cannabis for medical purposes.
Whereas there are already Many store fronts/dispensaries across the province that can be utilized for a medical access.
Whereas there are currently certification programs for cannabis education like UBC Faculty of Medicine, Continuing Education, Okanagan College, and Selkirk College,
Whereas In Canada, individuals with a medical need and who have the authorization of their health care practitioner, are able to access cannabis in three ways: they can access quality-controlled cannabis by registering with licensed producers, they can register with Health Canada to produce a limited amount for their own medical purposes, or they can designate someone else to produce it for them.
Page 1 of 4 -Petition to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Whereas a legal access to dried cannabis for medical purposes was first provided in 1999 using the unique section 56 exemptions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), the decision in R. v. Parker in 2000 held that individuals with a medical need had the right to possess cannabis for medical purposes. In June 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada, in R. v. Smith, decided that restricting legal access to only dried cannabis was unconstitutional. The Court decided that individuals with a medical need have the right to use and make other cannabis products as required and appropriate
Whereas The ACMPR was Canada's response to the Federal Court of Canada's February 2016 decision in Allard v. Canada. This decision found that requiring individuals to get their cannabis only from licensed producers violated liberty and security rights protected by section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court found that individuals who require cannabis for medical purposes did NOT have "reasonable access". The ACMPR are designed to provide an immediate solution required to address the Court judgement. What was created as a solution was a recreational supply and that does not fit the need or purpose of the ACMPR or patients in British Columbia.
THEREFORE WE THE UNDERSIGNED petition the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia to;
Develop a steering committee or task force to review past recommendations/reports and develop new ones that are appropriate for both, our province and the patient’s needs. This group should include stakeholders such as patients and advocacy groups, and could benefit from the expertise of individuals like the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, the Honourable Pam Alexis, Minister of Agriculture OR Lana Popham former Minister of Agriculture; Dr. Brian Emerson Deputy Provincial Health Officer and/or Dr. Bonnie Henry, Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Create a well-designed compassionate provincial medical cannabis access program to significantly improve patient care in British Columbia and decrease the costly problem of addiction management while reducing the need for visits to doctors and hospitals.
Ensure that certified medical cannabis consultants, doctors, pharmacists and/or practitioners in alternative medicine regimes are in each clinic allowing patients to go anywhere in the province knowing they will get the same care as they would if they needed a traditional prescription through a pharmacist.