Who can qualify to use marijuana for medical purposes? How do I apply?
I know what it is, and I’ve read quite a few. I bought marijuana for personal use. It’s not just for consumption because of illness or to get high. You can cook with it, use it as a by-product. You probably haven’t heard of it. People who are terminally ill, it’s not just cancer patients. There are those who are on betablockers, who don’t have a functioning thyroid gland and take pills, and diabetics. They are all incurable, and many are not prescribed marijuana. That doesn’t mean a person can’t buy it and consume it.
Health Canada outlines the following three categories of individuals who may qualify to use marijuana medically. Category 1: This category applies to terminally ill persons who are expected to pass away within 12 months. Category 2: This category applies to those who suffer from specific symptoms of a serious illness where usual therapies have failed. These symptoms include: • severe pain or muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis or a spinal cord injury or disease • severe pain, inability to eat, severe nausea, weight loss, and malnutrition from cancer or HIV/AIDS infection • severe pain from severe forms of arthritis • epilepsy seizures Category 3: This category applies to those who have serious medical conditions and are experiencing symptoms that are not outlined in categories 1 and 2 where usual treatments have failed. You must apply to Health Canada’s Office of Cannabis Medical Access (OCMA). A medical specialist must complete and sign a medical declaration (an application form) in
