In order to buy medical cannabis in Canada, patients must get a medical document signed by a health care practitioner. So, who qualifies as a “health care practitioner”?
The Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) – the framework which regulates access to medical cannabis – defines “health care practitioner,” as a physician or nurse practitioner who is, “permitted to prescribe dried marihuana (sic) in the province in which they practice.”
That means that both physicians like your family doctor and nurse practitioners (not to be confused with registered nurses) can sign a medical document for you.
Doctors can sign medical documents regardless of which province they practice in. Nurse practitioners are permitted to sign medical documents in these provinces & territories:
- Ontario
- Quebec
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Prince Edward Island
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
- Manitoba
- British Columbia
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
Although the ACMPR are federal regulations, Provincial Governments still have a right to decide whether or not nurse practitioners can sign medical documents within their jurisdictions. The regulatory bodies in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan have all taken the stance that nurse practitioners shouldn’t be able to provide medical documents to patients under the ACMPR.
Finding a Health Care Practitioner to Sign a Medical Document
If you’re looking for a health care practitioner to sign your medical document, a great place to start is your primary health care provider. They understand your medical history and can track the progress of your treatment. Practitioners at walk-in clinics don’t track your long-term care and therefore aren’t likely to prescribe medical cannabis.
If you’re looking for a nurse practitioner or physician, you can find one to sign your medical document in a nurse-practitioner-led clinic, a physician’s office, or a community clinic.
Ontario residents can use resources available from the Nurse Practitioners Association of Ontario to find an N.P. or use Ontario’s Health Care Connect service to find a primary health care provider.
Not all provinces offer these resources. If a similar service isn’t available in your province you can search for a local clinic and contact it directly.
What Else Can Health Care Practitioners Do When it Comes to Cannabis?
Health care practitioners can do more than just sign medical documents.
They also have the authorization to administer and/or transfer medical cannabis products to their patients. Health care practitioners can also legally possess fresh or dried cannabis or cannabis oil for that purpose.