Recently, the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) has called for pharmacists to be more involved in the dispensing of medical marijuana. The association believes this would help “identify drug interactions, alternative therapies, contraindications and potential addictive behaviour, and provide the opportunity for patient counseling on appropriate use.”

The announcement was an opportunity to update the association’s position on the dispensation of medical marijuana by not only providing patient safety and support through pharmacist involvement, but to take the lead role as a primary distributor. The CPhA’s statements were supported with data provided by Abacus Data and KPMG reports.

In its response to the statement, the Canadian Medical Cannabis Industry Association’s (CMCIA) chair Neil Closner said, “Pharmacy may be a valuable additional option for patients in the future, but as a complement, not as a replacement to the existing, successful direct access system.”

Closner believes that distribution of medical cannabis exclusively through pharmacies “would reduce access and product choice, and raise costs to patients, and could also increase the risk of diversion.”

The CPhA’s announcement also prompted responses from patient advocacy groups and the current licensed producers who had concerns about patient access to the assorted varieties of medical cannabis for particular health needs, and for those patients licensed for self-production.

The CMCIA further stated they “will be reaching out to the CPhA to begin a dialogue on how pharmacists and pharmacy can work with licensed producers of medical cannabis, physicians, patients and other stakeholders to expand patients’ access to regulated, affordable products.”