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Currently the Ontario government is aligned with the Federal government regarding their views on medicinal cannabis. It is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a prescribed medication and therefore does not get coverage on most insurance plans, including those that the provincial government subsidizes. The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) often provides funding for its members to access their medications. However, it does not recognize medicinal cannabis as an approved medication and does not provide funding for acquiring it. This leaves many in dire straits, either trying to get medicinal cannabis and not having enough money for other necessities in life, or going back to the opiates covered by the provincial government programs. Ontario’s Workplace and Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) views medicinal cannabis in much the same way as ODSP, although they have been quoted as evaluating coverage “on a case-by-case basis”. Many injured workers are denied…

One of the hurdles that limits access to medicinal cannabis, is the lack of coverage by insurance companies due to the lack of recognition of medicinal cannabis as a prescribed drug. Many patients that rely on medicinal cannabis struggle to afford it at the time of purchase, limiting their access and impeding their health and quality of life. However, there is an insurance company partnering with a widely reputable pharmacy that is changing the game and removing some of these obstacles for patients! Manulife has officially launched a medicinal cannabis program that will allow members to claim benefits for their medicinal cannabis expenses. Program sponsors are eligible to submit an application for the new program and will be able to start using these benefits as of September 2018. Manulife has also announced their new partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. This will give members of the new Medicinal Cannabis program…

For as long as the medical community has been using cannabis, they have broken it down chemically to find the most effective applications for the treatment of patients.  Two primary components for therapeutic uses have been identified. These two chemicals are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC), and cannabidiol (also known as CMD).  Each substance has their own set of properties, therapeutic benefits and side effects that helps serve the patients who use them. THC is the more common substance that is identified when referring to cannabis. It tends to be in higher concentration in the marijuana plant.  It is more readily binding to its corresponding receptors in the brain, which is what gives the patient the euphoric, intoxicating effect, more commonly known as “being high”.  THC has been shown to have great benefits to reduce the amount of plaque in the coronary arteries, decreasing the chances of a heart attack…

Adult use, or recreational use, cannabis will be legal for purchase as of Oct. 17, 2018.  On the surface, one would believe this to be a great step in the fight to destigmatize cannabis use and increase the ease of access for patients requiring cannabis as part of their treatment plan, but that is not the case.  Although the legalization of cannabis could lead to more studies conducted on the use of cannabis for various medical conditions limitations and barriers for patients stand to be increased under the new adult-use measures. It is first important to clarify that medicinal cannabis and adult-use cannabis are very different. Recreational cannabis will not have the same makeup on a consistent basis as medical cannabis does- and so will not be a suitable substitute for a medical need. Medical cannabis is often curated and different strains and applications are recommended based on the properties…

Over half a million Canadians live with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, with approximately 250,000 being diagnosed every year.  This disease is aggressively running through our country’s health care costs, research dollars, and most importantly, the quality of life of every sufferer and their caregivers.  Current medications in place can help delay the disease progression but they come with some detrimental side effects that have been known to be life-threatening. Recent studies show that the use of medicinal cannabinoids may be the more effective alternative to slowing the disease progression and giving dementia sufferers and their loved ones a life worth living. Research has shown that cannabinoids have been able to provide a neuroprotective layer around the brain’s millions of neurons that transmit messages across our bodies, and that are the hardest hit by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  Cannabinoids can protect neurons from beta-amyloids, a chemical (also known as plaque) that…

In 2016, Stats Canada reported that approximately 6.1 million people in Canada were suffering from a form of arthritis; that’s 20.6% of Canada’s total population. With the multitude of possible treatments to help control the pain a patient with arthritis has to live with on a daily basis, most of which are pharmaceutical in nature and some of which are dangerously addictive, many patients are turning to other forms of pain control to help them live the quality lives they deserve to live. The emergence of the use of medicinal cannabis as part of a treatment plan for arthritis pain is significant. One study performed in 2015 has shown that a Cannabidiol (CBD) gel preparation for topical use can help relieve symptoms of arthritis pain with no significant side effects. Another study performed in 2017 has shown that taking prophylactic CBD may be a safe, useful therapeutic treatment for osteoarthritis…

For many years, medicinal cannabis has been studied by scientists and researchers striving to understand the healing properties that come from its high cannabidiol (CBD) content and high levels of medical terpenes and flavonoids. Results have, in turn, empowered health care providers, patients and a supportive community to gradually accept the positive effects of medical cannabis and the level of mental, physical and emotional healing capabilities it encompasses. The treatable conditions within the growing purvue of medical cannabis are complex and range from nausea and chronic pain to anxiety and neuropathic pain. Studies have shown that participants provided with cannabis products in various forms showed a decrease in pain and an increase in quality of life- the focus and hope of all patients and their support networks.   In large part, studies and medical research have contributed to a gradual acceptance of medical cannabis in the perspectives of our collective…

It’s a start, but why is it left to a company to absorb and submit the tax. It shouldn’t be limited to just one company. Congratulations to canopy growth for seeing the benefit of why tax should not be applied to a product that is used for medicinal reasons. It’s one small step but a larger message needs to be shared in regards to telling our government that we need access, and no tax applicable to our medicine  CLICK THE LINK to download the full Media release CFAMM-June-13-2018-Canopy-press-release

In the coming weeks of the Canadian government’s legislation to legalize cannabis, it’s becoming even more important to educate ourselves on this shift in policy, as well as the history and the influence of medicinal cannabis. It’s no surprise that the use of medical cannabis continues to grow among patients, healthcare communities and the overall Canadian population as a treatment. Much-deserved recognition and respect for this powerful medicine are growing because supporters have always advocated for educated and informed decision making on the policies and conversations surrounding it. The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness by Steve DeAngelo This book was written by none other than the founder of the largest medical cannabis dispensary in the world. It offers both a visionary approach and strong call-to-action when it comes to activating a positive perspective on medical cannabis. The book dives into all the essential questions about cannabis and beautifully…

It was this past week that the media in the UK took to share a story of how Billy Caldwell (age 12) was having life threatening issues through epileptic attacks and the public that would stand together to help this young boy get access.   This is exactly HOW we at Medicinal My Way are speaking loudly and to our government with your voices and ours.  It’s time we put #patientsfirst.  If Billy was in Canada, he’d have the ability to get access…HOWEVER he’d have to mail his prescription away and wait for the Licensed Producers to mail it.   We can speak out in Canada as we have the RIGHT to our medicine already…but we don’t have easy access.  SHARE YOUR STORY NOW.