B.C.  PHARMACISTS WILL DISPENSE MARIJUANA

VANCOUVER - B.C.  pharmacies will soon be dispensing medicinal marijuana under a Health Canada pilot project.

Stakeholders are currently in talks to discuss just how the drug will be dispensed to medicinal marijuana users.

Dr.  Brenda Osmond ( PhD ), Registrar of the College of Pharmacists of B.C., says the details haven't been finalized yet, but pharmacists are on side with the plan.  In fact, in July 2003 the college surveyed its members on the issue and 80% agreed it was a good idea.

"This will be somewhere between a standard prescription product and, say, the over-the-counter morning after pill," she explained.  "What Health Canada is envisioning is not that a doctor will write a prescription per se, but that a medical declaration will be signed by a treating physician.  The patient still has to get authorization from Health Canada to possess marijuana for medical purposes and the declaration has to be signed by the treating physician."

No dates have been set for further talks on when the project will be launched, although it is expected that it will be within the year.

There are currently 78 users of medicinal pot listed with Health Canada, which provides the Flin Flon, Man.-grown drug.