NORTHERN LIGHTS: Medical Cannabis Policy and Practice in Canada PHILIPPE LUCAS

Transcription

1 NORTHERN LIGHTS: Medical Cannabis Policy and Practice in Canada PHILIPPE LUCAS VICE PRESIDENT OF PATIENT RESEARCH & SERVICES, TILRAY CENTRE FOR ADDICTIONS RESEARCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MARCH 2015

2 MEDICAL CANNABIS IN CANADA R. v. Parker (2000) - constitutional right to choose cannabis as medicine without fear of criminal sanction In 2001, the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) 1 million Canadians used cannabis for self-defined medical conditions (Adlaf, Begin & Sawka, 2005; Belle-Isle & Hathaway, 2007) To date, approximately 50,000 Canadians have obtained an authorization to possess cannabis for medical purposes

3 CANADIAN MEDICAL MARIHUANA SYSTEM MMAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2014 MMPR STARTED APRIL 1, 2014

4 A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THE MARIHUANA FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES REGULATIONS (MMPR) The most significant change in medical cannabis access since 2001, the MMPR were implemented by Health Canada in December 2012, and went into full effect on April 1 st 2014 Simplified/decentralized application process NPs can prescribe (maybe) Multiple Licensed Producers Increased quality control Increased strain/symptom awareness

5 CURRENT LICENSED PRODUCERS Aphria Bedrocan Canada Inc. Broken Coast Cannabis Ltd. Canna Farms Ltd. CanniMed Ltd. CannTrust Inc. Delta 9 Bio-Tech Inc. In The Zone Produce Ltd. MariCann Inc. MedReleaf Corp. Mettrum Ltd. OrganiGram Inc. The Peace Naturals Project Inc Tilray Tweed Inc. Whistler Medical Marijuana Corp.

6 TILRAY FACILITY LOCATION

7 FACILITY CONSTRUCTION

8 FACILITY CONSTRUCTION

9 FACILITY CONSTRUCTION v1.0

10 GROW ROOM

11 GROW ROOM

12 FACILITY CONSTRUCTION v1.0

13 FACILITY CONSTRUCTION v1.0

14 TILRAY FACILITY

15 MMPR AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY TILRAY SEED PROPOGATION GROWING / CULTIVATION TESTING / R&D 6 4 HARVESTING 5 PROCESSING 6 STORING 7 PACKAGING / LABELLING 8 SHIPPING / DISTRIBUTION 9 DISPOSAL / WASTE STREAMS 10 TECHNICAL SERVICES /FINANCIAL INSURANCE

16 TILRAY SUMMARY Location Scale Investment Jobs Technology Product Taxes Nanaimo BC 65,000 SF facility with over 34,000 SF of production space 25+ million invested over 120 direct jobs Cutting edge technology & production practices Dozens of strains, including many high CBD varieties Significant contribution to local tax base

17 TILRAY RESEARCH STRATEGY Phase 2 placebo-controlled clinical trial agreement with the of British Columbia to examine the therapeutic potential of medical cannabis on the symptoms of PTSD 40 participants; military and police veterans and other survivors of physical violence. Study will compare vaporized cannabis of varying cannabinoid concentrations to placebo Health Canada and UBC review and approval process in Spring 2015 Pilot studies of cannabis-based preparations in the treatment of paediatric epilepsy New York State New South Wales, Australia Patient patterns of use research

18 CANNABIS ACCESS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES SURVEY (CAMPS) The CAMPS questionnaire is a 414 question cross-sectional survey made available to Canadian medical cannabis patients online and by hard copy in 2011 & With 628 responses so far, the Cannabis Access for Medical Purposes Survey (CAMPS) is the largest polling of Canadian medical cannabis patients to date.

19 CANNABIS ACCESS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES SURVEY (CAMPS) DEMOGRAPHICS

20 CANNABIS ACCESS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES SURVEY (CAMPS) PRIMARY MEDICAL CONDITIONS TREATED WITH CANNABIS ALL PERCENT REPORTING HEALTH CANADA AUTHORIZED NOT HEALTH CANADA AUTHORIZED HIV / AIDS SPINAL PAIN ARTHRITIS ANXIETY / DEPRESSION* MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CHRONIC PAIN CANCER EPILEPSY GASTRO-INTESTINAL* OTHER Fig. 1. Primary medical conditions treated with cannabis by authorization. Note: Sleep Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder, Fibromyalgia, Hepatitis C, Parkinson s Disease, Wilson s Disease, Scleroderma, Tourette s Syndrome, and unspecified Psychotic Disorder Conditions each comprised less than 2% of the sample and were aggregated into the category Other. The anxiety and mood disorders category included 35 participants who reported a primary illness/condition of anxiety, 34 who reported depression and 40 who reported both anxiety and depression. Comparisons of these groups indicated equivalent profiles with regard to demographic characteristics, health, and use of CTP, and were therefore aggregated for statistical analyses; n = 502 * = difference between proportion Health Canada Authorized and Unauthorized p < 01.

21 CANNABIS ACCESS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES SURVEY (CAMPS) CHARACTERISTICS OF CANNABIS USE BY CONDITION

22 SUBSTITUTING CANNABIS FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS SUBSTANCE SUBSTITUTION PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS WHO USE CANNABIS INSTEAD OF OTHER SUBSTANCES 87% 80% PRESCRIPTION DRUGS 52% ALCOHOL 32% ILLICIT SUBSTANCES Reasons cited: better symptom management and less adverse side-effects. Patients who listed a greater number of symptoms were more likely to report cannabis substitution. Younger patients (30 & younger) were far more likely to substitute cannabis for prescription drugs, alcohol and illicit substances than older patients (50 & older). V1.0

23 DISCUSSION SUBSTITUTION FOR PRESCRIPTION OPIATES With the recent rise in pharmaceutical opiate addiction (Dhalla et al, 2009; Fischer et al, 2008; SAMHSA 2007), and an associated increase in opiaterelated morbidity and mortality (Moore et al 2007), cannabis may prove to be a safer substitute to address chronic pain issues in patient populations. V1.1 V1.0

24 DISCUSSION SUBSTITUTION FOR ILLICIT SUBSTANCES Evidence suggesting that cannabis might be an effective substitute for opiates, crack/cocaine, crystal meth and other illicit substances could be part of a public health-centered harm reduction strategy aimed at reducing disease transmission and overdoses stemming from injection drug use. SUBSTITUTION FOR ALCOHOL Public policies informed by evidence that cannabis might be a substitute or actual treatment for alcohol addiction (Lucas 2013; Reiman 2009, 2006; Mikuriya 2004) could have a significant impact on overall rates of alcoholism, as well as alcohol-related automobile accidents, violence and property crime. V1.1 V1.0

25 THANK YOU QUESTIONS? PHILIPPE LUCAS VICE PRESIDENT OF PATIENT RESEARCH & SERVICES, TILRAY CENTRE FOR ADDICTIONS RESEARCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA