GROW YOUR OWN MEDICINAL CANNABIS IN CANADA

What is ACMPR license ?

The ACMPR regulation allows for patients to apply for a personal production license given by Health Canada or as a designated producer for someone else. Under this license, an individual can cultivate a limited quantity of cannabis at home to treat their medical needs.

It is also known as Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation Growing License. Health Canada is the governing body for these applications. The processing time for these licenses varies from 6 weeks to a couple of months. Currently, there are no direct licensing fees associated. As per regulations, Doctors cannot charge to obtain these licenses. However, if one has appointed a medical office to keep their files and the processes in order, these costs must be incurred by the individual and are not associated with Health Canada.

Those authorized to access cannabis for medical purposes must be prepared to show they are legally allowed to possess more than 30 grams (or equivalent) in public if requested by law enforcement. This can be done by showing:

• Their registration document issued by a federally licensed seller
• Their registration certificate issued by Health Canada for personal or designated production
• Their registration certificate issued by Health Canada for possession only

How many plants can I grow under The Cannabis Act?

Under The Cannabis Act (formerly ACMPR License), an individual is allowed to grow 4 plants across provinces (exceptions include QC, NU, & MB). For medical patients, there is no set limit, this does not mean the patient can grow unlimited weed.

The number of plants allowed to grow under ACMPR License is dependent on the prescription and medical needs authorized by a licensed practitioner. The number of plants is directly proportional to the amount prescribed.

Click here to access the online calculator by Health Canada.

If you are wondering what’s the penalty for growing more than 4 plants in a residence, the outcome looks very stark. The worst possible action is being charged with a serious indictable offense wherein you could be imprisoned for 14 years. If lucky, you could get away with fines and tickets. Illicit cannabis will be confiscated by the authorities.

ACMPR Canada License

Introduced as Cannabis act oct 17, 2018, the ACMPR was the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation. 

This was introduced to allow patients reasonable access to medical marijuana. Patients can get access to medical marijuana by registering for the service. The key difference between both regulations was that the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) did not allow for home cultivation of plants by medical patients, they were forced to rely upon Health Canada and licensed practitioners for their needs. The regulations still control who gets access to medical marijuana, however, it allows the patients to grow marijuana and treat their illness at home without entirely relying on medical practitioners. 

Under Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation, the patient will still require a prescription to get access to medical marijuana through a Licensed Producer or register with Health Canada.

How does ACMPR work?

The licensed producer is responsible for obtaining the necessary licenses from Health Canada to grow and produce medical marijuana for Canadian patients. This gives them legal rights to distribute medical cannabis to authorized patients. The ACMPR explains how the producer can apply for a license to grow and sell dried cannabis, fresh cannabis, cannabis plants, seeds, edibles, vaporizer cartridges, and oils legally in the country. However, the producers have to meet the quality and grade requirement, as one of the main responsibilities of ACMPR is to ensure quality products are released into the market and they are safe for medical consumption. The producers must adhere to strict regulations to maintain strain quality.

The patient needs to obtain authorization from their doctor or medical practitioner and only then can they qualify to use medical marijuana legally. The authorization by a medical professional defines the duration of the treatment and the strength of the dosage, which is then used for future prescriptions and refills.

This authorization is essential if the patient wishes to grow their medical marijuana.

What is the difference between ACMPR and Cannabis Act?

The intent of use is the key difference between both regulations. Note, ACMPR is now replaced with the Cannabis Act. ACMPR was primarily intended for medical cannabis and the new “Cannabis Act” is directed towards both medical and recreational cannabis users.