Canada: New Medical Marijuana Centre Opening Up In Hintonburg

Jacob Redmond

Well-Known Member
Hintonburg will soon be home to a medical marijuana centre where patients can get guidance on how to properly take their medicine, apply for a license and learn about the substance being touted as a treatment for everything from cancer and multiple sclerosis to fibromyalgia and insomnia.

The National Access Cannabis (NAC) centre on Wellington Drive will act as a pharmacy for medical marijuana patients — an aspect of the sprawling industry that is lacking, according to NAC Spokesperson Colin Trethewey

"Currently, when you order through the Health Canada system, cannabis gets mailed to your house from a licensed producer and there is no intermediary," he said.

"There is no one to help you understand what the medication is, how it works, the best way to take it and also educate you on the safety aspects related to taking it with your existing prescription drugs. There is a bit of a void of information available for patients."

NAC representatives have been canvassing the community for months, chatting with local businesses and residents about the idea of having such a facility in their neighbourhood. Trethewey said the main concern was around the sale of marijuana, but the cannabis centre won't be selling pot, it won't be a dispensary and won't store any marijuana on site.

The centre is strictly for educational purposes, he said. It will link prospective patients with the company physician who will conduct an assessment to determine if marijuana is the right form of treatment.

"It's not necessarily safe or perfect for everyone to be taking large amounts medical cannabis," he said.

"You need guidance to know what to take, when to take it and how much to take."

Councillor Says 'Progressive Ward' Likely OK With Pot Shop

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said he hasn't done enough research to say whether or not he supports the new facility, but said the city doesn't have much control over the matter other than to issue a business license and enforce existing by-laws.

"Ultimately the zoning is for a traditional main street and this kind of use would be allowed," Leiper said. "It would fall under a pharmacy or a medical clinic."

His main concern is to make sure the community is comfortable with a drug-related business setting up shop and, by the sounds of his campaign trail notes, his constituents would likely be cool with it.

"When I was campaigning this summer, the smell of weed was often in the air," he said. "It's a pretty progressive ward ... The tide toward legalization is probably unstoppable."

NAC opened its first facility in Victoria earlier this year and the Ottawa centre, which will take over the Heavens to Betsy boutique at 1111 Wellington West will open sometime this spring.

The company is also eyeing a second Ottawa location on Bank Street.

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Full Article: New medical marijuana centre opening up in Hintonburg | Metro
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