Changes in Federal Marihuana Regulation

Late in 2012 the federal Minister of Health announced pending changes in federal policy regarding the production of marihuana for medicinal purposes. Essentially, the government is proposing to abandon the “personal use license” approach that has led to the establishment of thousands of individual “grow-ops” around the country, and the related “designated person licenses”, in favour of the licensing of more centralized, commercial-scale indoor marihuana production facilities. The government would close its marihuana production facility in Saskatchewan and get out of the business of marihuana sales, existing personal use licences and designated person licences (under which non-patients were allowed to grow marihuana to meet someone else’s medical needs) would expire on April 1, 2014, and new licence applications under the existing regulations would not be accepted after September 30, 2013.

Download pdf: Changes in Federal Marihuana Regulation