Lift Cannabis Fall 2016 by Glacier Specialty Publishing

co ok i w can ithng n Pag abis e2 6

fall 2016

Cannabis legalization

cannabis literacy

Medicating mindfully

youth and cannabis

The benefits of Cannabis

Page 46

The Sisterhood of the Cannabis Industry Page 16

Have you been diagnosed with PTSD or chronic pain? Have traditional pharmaceuticals failed to improve your symptoms? Marijuana For Trauma Inc. assists individuals with accessing medicinal cannabis, an effective and natural therapy for symptoms of PTSD and chronic pain.

Did you know? • Medicinal cannabis can be converted into edible forms such as baked goods and capsules. • CBD dominant strains of medical cannabis provide relief without psychoactive effects. • Marijuana for Trauma Inc. provides other beneficial, non-toxic therapies to members such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, shown to be effective for PTSD, TBI and chronic pain.

For more information on how cannabis therapy can help contact us today.

Marijuana For Trauma Inc. • 1-855-MFT-0420 • MFTgroup.ca info@mftgroup.ca • 255 Restigouche Road, Unit # 1, Oromocto, NB CurrenT loCaTionS: St.

John’s, NL; Sydney, NS; Oromocto, NB; Markham, ON; Petawawa, ON; Trenton, ON; Kingston, ON; Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, PQ; Pickering, ON; Charlottetown, PE; and Strathroy, ON. oPening Soon: Okanagan Valley, BC; Edmonton, AB; and Winnipeg, MB.

䌀愀渀渀愀戀椀猀䔀搀甀挀愀愀漀渀䌀攀渀琀爀攀吀栀椀渀欀椀渀最漀昀洀攀搀椀挀愀氀挀愀渀渀愀戀椀猀愀猀愀琀爀攀愀琀洀攀渀琀漀瀀瀀漀渀㼀䰀攀琀甀猀栀攀氀瀀℀

圀攀伀û攀爀㨀 ∠ 䄀渀椀渀椀椀愀氀愀猀猀攀猀猀洀攀渀琀眀椀琀栀漀甀爀挀愀渀渀愀戀椀猀攀搀甀挀愀琀漀爀 ∠ 倀爀椀瘀愀琀攀挀漀渀猀甀氀琀愀愀漀渀猀眀椀琀栀䰀椀椀䌀攀渀琀爀攀瀀栀礀猀椀挀椀愀渀猀 ∠ 䔀搀甀挀愀愀漀渀漀渀猀攀氀攀挀挀渀最琀栀攀爀椀最栀琀猀琀爀愀椀渀猀 ∠ 䄀猀猀椀猀琀愀渀挀攀爀攀最椀猀琀攀爀椀渀最眀椀琀栀愀氀椀挀攀渀猀攀搀瀀爀漀搀甀挀攀爀伀刀眀椀琀栀䠀攀愀氀琀栀䌀愀渀愀搀愀琀漀最爀漀眀礀漀甀爀漀眀渀洀攀搀椀挀愀氀挀愀渀渀愀戀椀猀 ∠ 伀渀最漀椀渀最猀甀瀀瀀漀爀琀愀渀搀昀漀氀氀漀眀甀瀀挀愀爀攀 ∠ 䐀椀猀挀漀甀渀琀猀昀爀漀洀瀀爀漀洀漀漀漀渀愀氀瀀愀爀琀渀攀爀猀

䌀伀一吀䄀䌀吀唀匀吀伀䐀䄀夀㄀ⴀ㠀㠀㠀ⴀ㈀㔀㐀ⴀ㔀㐀㌀㠀䤀渀昀漀䀀氀椀椀挀攀渀琀爀攀⸀挀愀伀渀琀愀爀椀漀簀䄀氀戀攀爀琀愀簀䈀爀椀椀猀栀䌀漀氀甀洀戀椀愀氀椀椀挀攀渀琀爀攀⸀挀愀

Changing Medicine Changing Lives providing patients:

providing growers:

Physician Assessments for the appropriateness of medical cannabis Medical Cannabis Counselling sessions where your symptoms are profiled to specific strains to ensure symptom relief Group Sessions for pain management, movement, nutrition, sleep and meditation Educational Courses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cannabis 101, growing your own medication, cooking with cannabis, vaporization workshops and much more!

Access to patients in need of a designated grower Cannabis cultivation courses Information on starting material (seeds and/or plant selection), security and product testing

Whether you want to grow your own medication, appoint a designated grower to grow it for you or purchase your medication from a Health Canada Licensed Producer, we assist you with every step of the process.

If you are interested in becoming a designated grower for a patient or want to learn more, contact us!

providing physicians: The Greenleaf Medical Clinic physicians have the highest standard of practice and have been assessing patients for the appropriateness of medical cannabis since 2011. If you are interested in physician to physician training programs, please contact us! If you would like your patient to be assessed for the appropriateness of medical cannabis, please visit our website and download our referral form.

#218, 9525 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 201 Street, Langley, BC., V1M 4A5 www.greenleafmc.ca www.medicalmarijuana.ca FAx: EMAIl:

1-604-371-2044 info@greenleafmc.ca

1-877-513-4769

TEl:

1-877-513-4769

Assessing patients since 2011

Read LIFT online

news.lift.co/magazine

contents

cooking with cannabis page 26 & 30

issue 02

LIFT The meeting place for cannabis �� 7

Cannabis legalization One of the greatest social experiments of our time �� 8

A mother’s voice CBD therapy: life changing for Dravet syndrome �� 13

Elevating our habits Medicating mindfully �� 14

The sisterhood of the cannabis industry �� 16

A wife’s story A journey towards recovery and relief �� 20

A Physician’s Perspective The benefits of cannabis �� 32

Cannabis Literacy Refocusing the discussion around youth and cannabis �� 46

patient voices �� 54 profiles CannTrust �� 12 The Green Organic Dutchman Ltd. �� 25 THC BioMed Plant Science �� 27 Marijuana for Trauma Inc. �� 28 Magna Terra Health Services Inc. �� 31 Aphria Inc. �� 36 MariCann Inc. �� 42

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Published by

www.lift.co

Publisher: Natasha Raey

Natasha Raey

Editor: Jessica Murdoch Lift Founder and CEO / Tyler Sookochoff

Glacier Media Group

Welcome

Advertising sales, printing and distribution managed through Glacier Media Inc.

couldn’t sleep the night before our cover shoot, the fact that I was going to spend the next day with just a handful of the amazing women in this industry was more excitement than I could handle.

We’re Canada’s leading resource for information about medical cannabis and how to access it safely.

As somewhat of a newcomer to the Canadian Cannabis industry, I have faced my own share of stigma and judgement from people who are unaware of all of the facets of this

Sales & Marketing Kevin Dergez Director of Special Projects kdergez@glaciermedia.ca Ellyn Schriber Newsmedia Features Manager BC eschriber@glaciermedia.ca Keshav Sharma Manager Specialty Publications ksharma@glaciermedia.ca Jan Correia Category Sales Manager jcorreia@glaciermedia.ca Laura Cunningham Category Sales Manager lcunningham@glaciermedia.ca Creative Director / Eric Pinfold eric@phitted.com www.phitted.com

industry. And that is why I chose to focus on the women and the sisterhood that has welcomed me with open arms for this issue. Similar to how we are in our families, communities and workplaces, women are such a driving force behind the success and progress that this industry has seen over the last number of years. The cannabis industry has grown up and matured into a beautiful ecosystem of businesses, producers, advocates and healthcare professionals and I am so proud to showcase that side with this issue.

cover photo credit: Photographer: MaryBeth Lafferty Assistant Photographer: Stormy Retoucher: Ben Sampson Makeup: Evelyn Iona (Artists: Amy Schau, Amanda Gangoso, Diane Thielicke) Location: Werklab (Vancouver, BC)

The authors, the publisher and the collaborating organizations will not assume any responsibility for commercial loss due to business decisions made based on the information contained in this magazine. Speak with your doctor before acting on health information contained in this magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without crediting Lift Cannabis. Printed in Canada. Please recycle.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

spotlight

LIFT

The meeting place for cannabis By: Tyler Sookochoff

recently heard Lift described as “the meeting place for cannabis,” and I think it’s a great fit. Many people know Lift for one thing or another, but they’re often surprised to learn that we offer so much more support for Canadians than when we first emerged three years ago.

can collect points and then redeem them for discounts on their next purchase of medical cannabis. On top of this, we’ve recently added accessories such as vaporizers to the Lift Marketplace, and soon you’ll be able to collect points on these products as well.

When I started the company back in late 2013, it was in response to Canada’s new federal medical marijuana program known as the MMPR. At the time, there was little information available about this new program, how it worked, who the new federally-licensed growers were or if their products were any good. I decided to build a simple website that would be populated by patients from across Canada and essentially harness the information and connections that already existed within the medical cannabis industry.

Over the years we’ve also focused extensively on covering the latest news, breaking stories, rules and regulations, patient experiences, growing tips, and more through our digital publication (news.lift.co). By providing original quality content, Lift quickly gained a reputation as one of the most credible sources of cannabis news and information in Canada - and now of course we’ve expanded that coverage into print with this magazine.

Fast-forward to today, and that website (www.lift.co) has grown into a full-blown marketplace featuring Canada’s largest database of medical cannabis strains with thousands of reviews left by real patients from across the country. Through this online marketplace, we help countless people find the right medical cannabis products everyday. We also launched a loyalty program called Lift Points that rewards patients for coming back after their purchase and leaving reviews. Through our partnership with several leading Licensed Producers, patients

lift.co

Hosting events is another area that Lift has grown into (events.lift. co). This past May, we put on the inaugural Lift Cannabis Expo in Toronto. The trade show featured over 150 exhibitors and speakers from across North America and Europe. 10,000 people attended the event and by all accounts it was a massive success. Vancouver is up next, with many more shows - large and small - to follow in 2017. We’re also the creators of the Canadian Cannabis Awards (canadiancannabisawards.com). The awards allow patients from across Canada to vote for their

favourite cannabis products and businesses. The Canadian Cannabis Awards turned three this year and have become an important benchmark for the industry. And we’re not just online. We’ve been growing our offline presence for the last year by opening a number of Lift Resource Centres across Canada (liftcentre.ca). These are physical locations where patients can meet with our educators and physicians to learn more about medical cannabis and how to access it safely. Our newest endeavour - and one that I’m really excited about provides online educational training to individuals looking to work in the industry. We’ve partnered with Vancouver-based LearnKit to develop the courses which are available in Canada now and the US next year (learn.lift.co). So there you have it, Lift is the true meeting place for cannabis in Canada. Whether browsing strains and reviews on our marketplace, reading breaking news in our digital and print publications, chatting with a Licensed Producer at a Lift Expo, voting in our annual Canadian Cannabis Awards or consulting with a physician at the local Lift Resource Centre, we have you covered. We’ve built the place to be for cannabis… and we can’t wait for you to come and visit!

Cannabis legalization

One of the greatest social experiments of our time By: Kelly Coulter

strategy: to remove the profit motive that drives the black market. In this way it will also remove the criminal component.

anada is about to become the first of the G7 nations to legalize and regulate cannabis, and it promises to be one of the greatest social experiments of our time. For most of us, legalization will mean greater access to medicine that has been hampered by criminalization, stigma, lack of research and lack of education. These will be exciting times and the world will be watching. It is crucial that our elected officials and the legalization Task Force treat this matter with serious consideration to all possible effects. According to the official mandate, public health and safety are paramount, which is achievable with good policy. CRIMINALIZATION Personal possession of small quantities of cannabis is legal now in five American states. Currently in Canada, medical marijuana patients are legally licensed to possess only a prescribed amount of cannabis, though people are allowed to purchase and possess as much alcohol as they want from a liquor store. Will this be the case with legalized cannabis? Could consumers buy in bulk to save money? Ideally criminalization of cannabis will be a moot point if the policy is based on one simple

STIGMA Many believe that cannabis should not be normalized, an idea based on lingering prejudices and fears of “reefer madness.” The only

It would be ideal for the normalization to begin sooner rather than later; by removing the stigma from cannabis as medicine or therapeutic agent more people are able to choose it as an alternative to the much more harmful legal and commercialized alternatives, including painkillers and alcohol. exception to normalization that most would argue, especially politicians, is that normalizing cannabis could lead to increased youth consumption. This fear is unfounded; it is more likely that normalization or the “boring of marijuana” will have the opposite effect, as we have seen in Colorado where studies indicate youth consumption has declined since legalization. ACCESS Access to cannabis varies greatly across Canada. The only legal access nationwide at this time is through licensed medical facilities. Access is going to be an issue for local politicians, as many communities have created

a thriving economy based on the current illegal market. Ultimately, it will be the consumers who decide where they want to get their cannabis. RESEARCH Possibly the most exciting element in the future regulation of cannabis in Canada is the research that will be conducted. Politicians have been inundated with media reports, personal testimony and research papers all pointing to the same conclusions: the potential of cannabis as a medicine is quite incredible. Canada will be on the cutting edge of such research, and for this reason alone we should be proud of our government for taking the lead. EDUCATION The importance of cannabis education cannot be understated. For the most part, the demographics of future cannabis consumers are our aging community and the youth who will be coming of age at a time when something illicit is suddenly without criminal penalty and ideally, with much less stigma. We owe it to both of these groups to provide the best knowledge before they choose to consume. THE FUTURE Politicians will listen to their communities. The academics and members of the Task Force for legalization will listen to proof. Be prepared to argue what you want and why, when you have the opportunity to speak about either. What legalized cannabis will look like and how it will impact your community is very much up to you.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

As more and more licensed producers sprout up in Canada’s newly flowering medical marijuana market, we now have the opportunity to align ourselves with brands according to our shared values. While some licensed producers (LPs) are taking a lifestyle-centric position, and others focus on their organic production, or discreet, luxury service, there’s one company in particular who’s building their brand around two powerful concepts — compassion and quality. And that company is Aurora Cannabis.

THE AURORA STANDARD From producing the highest quality cannabis, to unparalleled customer service, to their commitment to affordable pricing, to their network of doctors and support staff, Aurora has set the bar high with their patient and community-minded philosophy, The Aurora Standard. And still, the Aurora Standard is simply a (formidable) promise of quality assurance in service to the company’s overall vision of offering a holistic approach to health

and wellness. Their goal to use the healing power of nature to help free those in need, to enjoy lives of inspiration, activity, comfort, and wellbeing. And these simple principles resonate with patients across the country — Aurora has seen what is believed to be the fastest rate of patient registration of any Licensed Producer in Canada, with 7,500+ active registered patients just 8 months after their first sale.

“Your strains are top notch, your customer service is great, and my experience has been nothing but positive.” Kerry B.

“Thank you for taking the effort to meet and

Medical cannabis isn’t a disease-modifying therapy, like antibiotics. Instead, it manages the symptoms of many

exceed the expectations of the industry and consumers. You have me

conditions and can provide life-altering relief — which is

as a customer for life.”

why Aurora fights to make cannabis more accessible

Jenn B.

by providing: Compassionate pricing All of Aurora’s strains are $8/gram, with $5/gram compassionate pricing for low-income patients. This pricing is amongst the lowest in the industry. Free, fast shipping Shipping is free, Canada-wide on orders over 5 grams, including for those in eligible same-day delivery areas, which continue to expand. Award-winning support staff Through Aurora’s client care specialists and CanvasRx.com, one of Canada’s largest cannabis patient education service providers expanding across the country, patients can learn about cannabis and receive support. Patient advocate Aurora is pushing insurers and the government for the same coverage as other medication so that patients can be reimbursed by their health insurance, and to exempt cannabis from sales tax like other medications. Home-grown support Aurora welcomes Health Canada’s decision to reintroduce home gardens and caregiver production for authorized patients, and will be offering home grow solutions including safe gardening equipment and supplies (homegrownsolutions.com).

All of Aurora’s 24 distinct strains are delivered above and beyond the standards set by Health Canada — there are no harmful contaminants, fully lab-tested by licensed 3rd party labs, and the flowers you receive will not be treated by gamma-irradiation.

PURPOSE-BUILT PRODUCTION The current facility

ALL-TIME BEST SELLER WARWICK #2 Cross between Captain Krypt-OG & 91 Chemdawg

THC: ~32% CBD: < 0.50%

Price: $8.00 Type: Sativa

As the highest THC product Aurora has ever carried and one of the strongest strains of cannabis available from an LP, most patients enjoy this sativa-dominant hybrid for its extremely stimulating effect. This strain gives off a very pungent aroma with diesel-like undertones. Warwick #2 promotes activity and liveliness in the user, which makes it well suited for daytime use.

AURORA’S PRIDE & JOY TEMPLE Extremely rare variety of Cannatonic

THC: <1% CBD: 24%

Price: $8.00 Type: Hybrid

Near Cremona, 90km north of Calgary, is Aurora’s 55,200 sq ft facility. The size of a football field, this state-of-the-art building is designed to produce the cleanest, safest medical cannabis on the market. Inside, rooms are kept immaculately clean with a sterile environment and a closed loop HVAC system so that there’s no outside air coming in and no venting of their exhaust out to the neighbourhood. Strict propriety practices and processes allow Aurora to produce industry-leading products in terms of composition, potency, and value.

THE FUTURE FACILITY With increasing medical use, plus next spring’s expected legislation to legalize adult use, Aurora is already looking to expand. Their proposed 600,000 square foot facility will be the size of 10 football fields and yield ~70,000 kg/year. Aurora has teamed up with the world’s most advanced greenhouse engineering, design and systems companies to build a hybrid greenhouse for 4-season growing that use extremely high technology and automation. Think sun-grown greenhouses outfitted with advanced tech that irrigate, monitor, harvest, and minimize environmental harm. See for yourself A guided tour of the Aurora Cannabis production facility: bit.ly/TourAurora

Temple is the most potent high-CBD product on the market in Canada, and possibly the world. This medicinal hybrid strain has a wide range of benefits and can be paired with other strains to boost CBD in a patient’s regimen. The strain has a predominantly piney smell with sweet tropical undertones. With almost no psychoactive effect, Temple can be used any time of day. Photo Credit: Marcus “Bubbleman” Richardson

To become a patient, ask questions, or get support: visit auroramj.com or call 1.844.928.7672 Mon-Fri, 8am - 4.30pm PST 360° tour of Temple strain grow room: bit.ly/TempleTour

profile

CannTrust CannTrust 1-855-RX4-CANN (794-2266) www.canntrust.ca

CannTrust is a licenced producer of medical cannabis that strives to live up to its name in every sense of the word. This goal is easily achievable thanks to its more than 40 years of experience in the pharmacy and healthcare industry, commitment to research and innovation and patient-centric approach to customer service. Co-founded by mail-order pharmacy standardbearer Norman Paul and approved as a licenced producer under Health Canada’s former Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) in 2014, CannTrust is the only pharmacist-controlled and operated licenced producer of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis in Canada. Operating out of a 40,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art hydroponic facility in Vaughan, ON, CannTrust cultivates and sells a variety of strains of dried marijuana and recently received federal approval to add cannabis oil to its product portfolio. It has since released the only standardized cannabis oil in the Canadian market in the form of its 1:1 Cannabis Drops.

In keeping with CannTrust’s commitment to R&D and developing better, more controlled dosage methods, the company has a number of projects on the horizon including its patented CANNCUP™ pods, which, when licenced for sale, patients can use to produce single servings of coffee, tea and hot chocolate that contains a control dosage form of THC and CBD.

For president and chief operating officer Brad Rogers, what sets the company apart is not only its expertise and adherence to evidence-based research but its unflagging commitment to provide clients with superior customer care at every step of the process, even launching a compassionate-use program to support patients with financial needs. “We have a team of pharmacists and doctors that detail their peers and all of our customer-service representatives are well-versed in how medical marijuana in general and our strains in specific affect the body, and that all ripples through to what we produce and how we produce it,” says Rogers. “We take extra care and control to ensure that everything that goes out the door is of the highest quality.”

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

A mother’s voice

CBD therapy: life changing for Dravet syndrome By: Meena Mahey

23-year-old Kameron Hodge has a debilitating form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. Dravet syndrome, or Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy (SMEI) appears in a child’s first year of life, frequently in response to fevers. Kameron started having seizures at 3-months-old and was officially diagnosed at 18-months-old. Kameron’s mother, Paula Charette, tearfully describes, “To me it felt like we were doomed. Attached to tubes, tied to a wheelchair and not functioning.” Around the time of Kameron’s diagnosis, a Dateline episode was aired about movie director Jim Abrahams’ journey with his son’s epilepsy, showcasing the “ketogenic diet” and how it changed the Abrahams family. Paula knew that this could save them. Paula called Kameron’s neurologist the very next morning, who immediately discarded the idea, stating that there was no way to know how the high-fat, low-carb, low-protein diet would affect Kameron’s health. Unwilling to take no for an answer, Paula called. Every day, sometimes two or three times per day. It took Paula six months, but the nurse at the neurology clinic finally called with the go-ahead to try the ketogenic diet. Kameron was 2-years-old when he began and he responded immediately. He went an entire year without seizures and almost a year without drugs. One whole year. Unfortunately, the diet is not something that can be

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administered long-term as it restricts certain necessary nutrients and is very high-fat.

“He is thinking again. His brain has awakened and he has ‘grown up’. He has independence now.” The ketogenic diet was supposed to have long lasting effects, but it did not last as long as planned for Kameron. He had his first seizure after stopping the diet while he was at school. Post-diet, he had up to 250 petit mal seizures a day. That means that he spent most of his days staring into space as his brain was overcome with uncoordinated electrical activity. Kameron’s longest seizure was 93 minutes. Kameron was put into special needs classes where he could learn at his own pace. Paula describes the loss of watching her child grow up amongst his peers as one of the hardest. Currently, Kameron takes a combination of stiripentol, clobazapam and valproic acid. In addition to this he is on cannabis oil, known as CBD therapy. Paula was introduced to the idea of CBD therapy when Kameron’s current neurologist hinted at it. For a pediatric neurologist, it is still not kosher to recommend cannabis oil, let alone prescribe it. The use of cannabis for medical conditions continues to be hotly debated and is particularly serious amongst pediatricians. Every night Kameron gets his pills and his pudding. Pudding is where the oil is hidden and it also aids

in easy absorption. Kameron is now using a different oil than he initially started on. When asked how this has changed his life, Paula fights back tears of joy, “He is thinking again. His brain has awakened and he has ‘grown up’. He has independence now.” The stress of the epilepsy has been lifted, freeing Kameron and allowing his personality to shine through. He loves to cook and Paula can finally let him hold a knife. All he previously watched were Disney movies, and now he can watch action flicks, sports and TV shows. He can do word searches and memorize his phone number. A year ago, none of this was possible. CBD therapy has been completely and utterly life-changing. Paula is in tears when she speaks of the representative from PhantCares who introduced her to the CBD that Kameron is now taking, “[She] has been the best thing that has come into our lives.” Paula’s advice for anyone who is considering taking CBD, or is inspired by this story to help someone in dire need of something that works is to “go for it – you won’t know if you don’t try.”

Elevating our habits By: MaryBeth Lafferty

Medicating mindfully

Choose your method: there is no shortage of ways to medicate with cannabis. You might find you like taking THC pills, relaxing with a joint, vaporizing, nibbling at health edibles throughout the day, or adding tinctures to your tea. However you incorporate cannabis into your life, keep mindful of dosing and always titrate when trying a new method or strain.

While cannabis resources are ramping up across the country, we don’t yet have a system of plant-informed doctors or medical practitioners to bridge the gap between plant medicine and the traditional medical world. my friends and avoid a hangover. I’ve used it in ritual, in yoga, and during meditation.

lobal consciousness on the value of plant medicine is expanding rapidly. I had my own epiphany about this just after I turned 30 and experienced the life changing power of cannabis. Hurting and starting over after the end of a very unhealthy romantic relationship, I was searching for vices to help me “deal” when I was actually needing to heal. I thought that I wanted to try “smoking weed” to rebel against my religious upbringing and oppressive 20’s. I began to use cannabis in some ways that could be described as medicinal and other ways that could be described as recreational; I choose to see that it was all therapeutic. I use cannabis to help with anxiety and issues with my digestive system from years of undiagnosed Celiac disease. I often use cannabis to relax, have used it to enhance sex, and have chosen to smoke rather than imbibe like

If you’re considering trying cannabis, augmenting your current practice, or smoking your first joint since the 60’s, here are a few thoughts to keep in mind: Quality matters: know your supplier, whether you are buying direct from a grower with amazing strains, from a dispensary that carries reputable grey market growers, from a Licensed Producer, or from a black market dealer. It’s important to find the right medicine you need from a consistent supplier who upholds high quality standards. The strain game: we may have all learned about the general differences between indica (which generally gives you more of a “body” high) and sativa (which delivers a more “cerebral” high), but the medicinal qualities of strains go far beyond these two categories. A large part of knowing if something is working for us or not is simply being mindful about the strains we try and what effect they have on our bodies.

Develop your practice: while it can be easy to be carried away with the amazing properties of cannabis when you first discover it, it’s important to keep in mind a holistic view of your health. Cannabis is a beautiful and healing part of a lifestyle that also incorporates proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, spiritual and emotional grounding, and personal growth. It is possible to develop bad habits with cannabis; any medicine can also have a dark side when used improperly. One day, when we have a healthcare system incorporating plant medicine, it may be just what the doctor ordered. Until then, make sure to consult your own doctor and any resources available to make informed decisions. Here’s to a healthier and more conscious society, and to developing a system of legalization in Canada that can serve as a beacon of light and model of excellence to the rest of the world.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

feature story

PHOTO CREDITS:

The sisterhood

Photographer: MaryBeth Lafferty (Fonda Betts, Andrea Dobbs, Kaja Gjesdal, Tiffany Walsh)

of the cannabis industry T

Photographer: Stormy (Rosy Mondin, Sarah Dobbin)

By: Natasha Raey

he Canadian cannabis industry is just months away from legalization, and women in leadership positions are proving to be pivotal in shaping this enormous ecosystem. In comparison to the somewhat dismal number of women in leadership roles in the corporate world, women in the cannabis industry make up far more high level positions; from investors, to lawyers, to CEOs, they are working feverishly to create their own opportunities. I was honoured to have the opportunity to sit down with a number of these women to discuss their contributions, their work, and their dreams for the industry. These are the women who are facilitating national discussions, ensuring phenomenal patient care, and navigating through a complex legal framework. These women are business owners, mothers, daughters, sisters and wives. These are the women who are changing the face of the industry, and despite the unknowns and ambiguity they face on a daily basis, are doing it with immense style, grace and determination.

Andrea Dobbs Chairperson, Women Grow and Co-Founder, The Village Dispensary

Kaja Gjesdal Wellness Coach and Cannabis Activist, Okanagan Kaya Clinic

Fonda Betts CEO, Greenleaf Medical Clinic and CEO, MedicalMarijuana.ca

Rosy Mondin Lawyer, CEO of Quadron Capital and Executive Director of the Cannabis Trade Alliance of Canada

Tiffany Walsh Cannabis Business Lawyer, Tiffany and Company Law Corporation Sarah Dobbin Professional Outreach Manager, Aphria (Health Canada Licensed Producer)

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

What journey brought you to where you are in this industry? Rosy (RM): My journey took me from criminology to law, from litigation to corporate law, to working with regulations – responding to a rapidly increasing number of cannabis professionals seeking my legal advice – and I saw opportunities when the industry was becoming established. On the advocacy side, I ultimately recognizing that a significant void existed with no current voice for balanced factual information moving forward, and realizing that I can participate significantly by providing a balanced legal, industry, and government approach. Andrea (AD): I often laugh at this question because three or four years ago I would be the last person in the world you’d expect to be involved with cannabis. I don’t like the smell, I’ve never been interested in the feeling I associated with being “high”, and I felt that in general it wasn’t for me. That said...I grew up in Vancouver and I knew people who consumed it both for therapeutic reasons as well as in social situations. I walked into a dispensary in my neighborhood and the first thing I felt was out of place. My whole life has been dedicated to creating inviting spaces, whether it be in my home or my place of work. Kaja (KJ): My life journey has been full of a lot of mental pain and suffering, and cannabis has helped me through a lot of that. Through hearing stories of others suffering and a look into the history of the plant, I found my purpose. Sarah (SD): When I finished university, I didn’t want to settle for the average 9-5 job. I wanted to make a difference, be a leader, and work for a company I could feel proud to be a part of. I was naive to the medical cannabis industry when I learned about Aphria (a Health Canada Licensed Producer), but after some quick research, I immediately became eager to join their team.

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They gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my capabilities and dedication very early in my career and I have continued to grow and advance within the company. I have quickly become captivated by this industry. Tiffany (TW): After I graduated law school from Western Michigan University (Cum laude), I worked for a couple of Vancouver-based law firms. In 2013, I was asked to examine the early MMPR regulations that were published in the Canada Gazette, and draft what I perceived an MMPR application would look like once the new program was officially unveiled. It was a great experience and it ultimately encouraged me to learn more about the legal issues facing the cannabis industry from production to sale. Shortly thereafter I launched my law firm, Tiffany & Company Law

“The last two years have been the most challenging but also the most rewarding time in my life.” – Kaja Gjesdal

Corporation, with the goal of helping people properly structure their cannabis business for legalization. Fonda (FB): I was originally hired by MedicalMarijuana.ca as a consultant to develop a cannabis specific fertilizer. While working with the team at medicalmarijua.ca, it was evident that there was a lack of prescribing physicians that were willing to provide patients with access to medical cannabis. My partners and I opened the Greenleaf Medical Clinic in 2011. We were definitely on a learning curve, and goal posts changed along the way as we navigated Health Canada’s ever-changing regulations and the College’s marijuana guidelines. It was never boring to say the least. However, there is a saying that fits perfectly; storms make trees

take deeper roots. What are you most proud of when you think back on your career? RM: I studied Criminology at SFU for undergrad, and I always enjoyed my courses dealing with civil liberties (i.e. the Charter) and crime prevention. The prohibition of cannabis was something that just never made sense to me. Many around me were consumers, and eventually growers, and for all of these people, myself included (as a consumer) to be labelled part of a criminal element was (is) ludicrous. So my proudest moment is right now, being able to work in the industry, but in the light. Cannabis has been illegal for 93-ish years. To be working to bring cannabis from illegality to legality – and to hope to aid in the regulatory process to create an inclusive industry. KJ: The last two years have been the most challenging but also the most rewarding time in my life. I am a completely different person than I was, and in the best ways. I have learned how to heal myself and help heal others. And I have found my strength and courage as a woman for the first time in my life. I am truly grateful to be a part of such a magical time. SD: The majority of my work with Aphria has centred around patient care. I was given the responsibility of building our patient care department and instilling values and standards that set Aphria apart. From day one, my mandate has been that we always go above-and-beyond for every single patient, and I’m proud of the reputation that philosophy has earned us. FB: While I’m incredibly proud of my work with Greenleaf and MedicalMarijuana.ca, one of the absolute proudest moments of my career was receiving a Presidential award from the government of Pakistan for teaching organic farming practices. Third world countries overuse pesticides on their agriculture crops, and I have been blessed

continued on next page 

left: Leading the conversation are Rosy, Kaja, Fonda, Natasha, Sarah, Tiffany, Jen, Paula and Andrea. PHOTO CREDIT:

Photographer: MaryBeth Lafferty Assistant Photographer: Stormy

to play a part in their evolution to organic farming. My travels have taken me to Pakistan and India where I travelled with our sales manager to educate farmers on the benefits of organic farming using inputs that will not cause harm to the environment or the people.

experienced at Aphria is the result of a progressive field and workplace.

Do you believe it’s easier or harder for women in this industry?

What is the largest myth that people believe about this industry?

RM: The cannabis industry involves agriculture, research, science, public education, law, accounting, insurance – there are so many opportunities that will present themselves. A legalized cannabis industry is so new that there are very few barriers to entry for women. An emphasis on the importance of gender equality and inclusion in the new legalized cannabis industry is critical and an important consideration in the creation of an inclusive cannabis marketplace. KJ: I believe that women are truly the direction of the world right now, and that we really can do anything we want. I think a lot of women can naturally fit into an industry that is connected to plant medicine, growing, creating and caregiving. So truly, I see huge opportunities all over for women. SD: In comparison to other fields, I believe women in the cannabis industry have an easier time advancing and creating their own opportunities. Since the medical cannabis industry is new, there are roles being filled by women that, in other industries, may have historically been filled by men. While women are still experiencing gender barriers in the workplace, I believe the rapid career growth I have

FB: I do find it odd that there are no female CEOs of Licensed Producer companies. I am certain (and hopeful) that we will see more women in CEO positions as the industry evolves.

AD: That we are unmotivated people with very little regard for the safety of children. That we are in it for the money and that we have no desire to be part of the bigger community of people who are engaged in living as part of the established quo. We are parents, we have pets, we are grandmothers and fathers, some of us are consuming cannabis to save our lives while others enjoy its therapeutic benefits. Some of us share concern with our loved ones that they are consuming cannabis without intent and some of us don’t consume at all. We are not “other”. We are you. SD: Unfortunately, many members of society still believe medical cannabis patients just want to sit on their couch and get “high”. Contrary to this popular misconception, medical marijuana patients are usually highfunctioning members of society or are genuinely ill, using cannabis to improve their quality of life. What is your hope for this industry? AD: My hope is that there will be regulated facilities that can produce standardized whole plant profile medical products for those who need cannabinoid therapies for survival. I want those facilities to be

subsidized by the government and I want that medicine to be covered by Health Canada. I want to see a sustainable, inclusive marketplace that allows pharmacies and dispensaries to provide access to cannabis products. Ideally, we’ll have VQA style programs in place where craft growers grow for resale. RM: I hope that the stigmas surrounding cannabis use, cannabis consumers and cannabis producers are eradicated, and fear is removed. I hope that the government aids to establish an industry which is inclusive and which allows itself to establish and grow like any other industry, allowing for fair competition. TW: I support legalization but I hope British Columbia’s craft cannabis industry is protected. British Columbia is home to thousands of small-scale growers who, for decades, have been the innovators in the cannabis industry and are vital to the economic development of many rural communities. Small communities across British Columbia will suffer if legalization leads to only a few massive LPs. I am hopeful that new regulations will make it possible for thousands of MMAR licensed craft growers to participate in legalization. At the end of this process, I was so proud to be a part of an industry where the women band together like sisters, where empowerment is the norm, and leadership opportunities are abundant. An industry where women are creating their own community and their own possibilities.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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A wife’s story

A journey towards recovery and relief

By: Jen Chahal

People say one phone call can change your life. I found out how true that could be on January 17, 2014 when my desk phone rang that morning. “Jen, Steve has had an accident, the ambulance has taken him to hospital. I don’t want you to panic, he can wiggle his toes.”

remember running as fast as I could to my car to get to my husband’s side. Steve was the chief shop steward at a mill. As he cut the band on a load of lumber that morning, the load burst piling about 1,000lbs of lumber on his lower back. He had a spinal cord injury and we didn’t know if he would ever walk again. The following days focused on getting Steve’s excruciating nerve pain under control, while making a claim with WorkSafe so he would be taken care of. It was determined that surgery was necessary to give him the best quality of life and the best chance at walking again. The 7 hour surgery involved 6 screws, 2 plates and a laminectomy. The next weeks were very hard work for Steve – lots of pain and tears, away from home and our little girl, slowly learning to take steps again. When he finally came home, he was on an abundance of medications. Never a fan of taking pills, this injury left him with no choice. Upon discharge he was taking about 50 pills a day, including muscle relaxers and pain killers. The pain killers made him sleep the day away, feeling awful with drowsiness, with no energy to participate with our family. We wanted alternative choices to medication, and so we visited a naturopath, obtaining prior approval from WorkSafe. The naturopath suggested medical marijuana, which we were willing to try.

Upon discharge he was taking about 50 pills a day, including muscle relaxers and pain killers.

A short time after this Steve met with one of the doctors for his claim. We were so nervous and worried about judgment that we decided not to tell her that he was “smoking pot” for his pain. While we felt we had gone the right avenue by speaking

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

shocked to see it cost over $700. The marijuana cost to a naturopath, we had a child to protect and we much less; it made no sense to me that they were willing didn’t want to be viewed as doing something wrong or to pay for this over the other. illegal. When we finally “fessed up” a few months later she wasn’t surprised, she knew he had been reducing He tried the Sativex. It tasted his medications slowly and awful, it yellowed his fingers, relatively easily. She just didn’t and most of all, it didn’t help the like the idea of anyone smoking Steve continues to use same way marijuana did. While and suggested he start vaping we were thankful he was given the marijuana daily to consistently instead. opportunity to try it, we purchased

reduce his pain medication.

Unfortunately, this great product a vaporizer and he went back to The 50 pills he started with that was helping my husband marijuana. two and a half years ago in so many ways was costing Steve continues to use marijuana are now down to four! our family A LOT of money and daily to consistently reduce his pain we needed help. I researched medication. The 50 pills he started how WorkSafe handles patients with two and a half years ago are choosing to use medical now down to four! My decision to marijuana for pain, and found a policy dating back 10+ write about this was not taken lightly by him, he was years. That was it. I called his case manager, who politely worried about what people may think and how it may said that even though it was helping, due to policy they impact me or my job. I am not worried, I am proud and could not pay for it. They did agree to allow Steve to I think it is so important to share his success and also try Sativex, a synthetic form of marijuana that you spray his decision to help himself, so others will hopefully feel under the tongue. I picked up the prescription and was empowered to do the same.

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Your appointment at a

Lift Resource Centre By: Gill Polard

While cannabis for medical purposes has been legally accessible since 2001, for many Canadians the cannabis plant and its therapeutic properties are still somewhat mysterious. Few physicians are comfortable prescribing cannabis without a greater understanding or more clinical data to back up the anecdotal claims of efficacy. Yet, more and more Canadians are becoming interested in exploring how cannabis may help them treat their conditions.

ift Resource Centres have nurses and physicians onsite who are able to help you determine if medical cannabis is an appropriate option for you, but you might be wondering how an appointment at a Lift Centre would typically go and what you should expect.

1 First things first: a pre-assessment During your initial consultation with one of our Nurse Educators, you will be asked some questions about your medical history, any medications you may be taking, and your personal history with cannabis. Your vitals will also be checked and recorded in your patient file. continued on page 24 ď&#x192;&#x2019;

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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2 Qualified patients will see a doctor During the pre-assessment, your Nurse Educator will be looking to qualify you as a medical cannabis patient. The College of Physicians and Surgeons have strict guidelines for prescribing cannabis and some criteria must be met. For example: an assessment of each patient for their risk of addiction and substance diversion, and an assessment of risk factors for psychotic disorders, mood disorders, and other mental health issues that may be affected by the use of dried marijuana must be performed. Physician consults are covered by provincial health insurance and will not be subject to additional charges.

3 Personalized Treatment Plans Once you’ve seen the physician and have received your medical document authorizing the use of medical cannabis, you and your Nurse Educator will sit down to lay out a personalized treatment plan. Taking into account the prescription dosage and your preferences for method of consumption, your Nurse Educator will make several product and distributor suggestions. You’ll also be asked to keep a diary of your medical cannabis use in order to track your progress and determine if the strain you are using and the method of ingestion is producing the desired effect. Followup appointments are a critical part of the Lift Resource Centre model of care, and will be scheduled at three month intervals.

4 Education You should expect the initial educational component of the appointment – after you’ve seen the physician – to last anywhere from forty-five minutes to one hour so that you have plenty of time to ask questions regarding your medical cannabis. You’ll hear about different methods of consumption and cover the how-to’s of several vaporizer models, which are available at a discounted rate for Lift Centre members. Lift Centre members can also access online tools and resources, including past workshops and the accompanying PDF handouts. The Nurse Educator assigned to you is available at no additional cost for phone, email or in-person appointments should you have any questions or want to talk at any point. If for some reason you do not meet the criteria outlined by the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons that determines whether or not a physician can prescribe to you, your Nurse Educator will work with you to see what other information/steps might be required to review the case. Either way, we are here to work with you as a membership organization supporting your current use of cannabis with education and ongoing follow-up care.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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The Green Organic Dutchman Ltd. The Green Organic Dutchman Ltd. PO Box 81025 Fiddlers Green RPO Ancaster L9G 4X1

Jeannette VanderMarel and Scott Skinner had a poignant and personal reason to turn over the sod on their lavender farm in Ancaster, ON and devote themselves to growing marijuana under the name of The Green Organic Dutchman Ltd. Nine years prior, the life of VanderMarel’s daughter Breanne — who was only eight-and-a-half years old — was tragically cut short due to a rare and severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet Syndrome. It was the same condition that plagued Charlotte Figi, a young girl who found relief via cannabis in a case that was documented by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN in 2013. Had Breanne had access to cannabis, VanderMarel maintains, her death may well have been avoided. “I didn’t know about the efficacy of cannabis then but later when I read reports of cannabis-based medicines helping children with similar conditions, it was a big motivator for me to find a way to support research in that regard,” says VanderMarel. “It’s amazing what cannabis can do. Children who

previously had no quality of life are suddenly thriving and not suffering from constant seizures, which is miraculous.” That personal tragedy was the impetus for VanderMarel and Skinner to transform their farm and apply to Health Canada as a grower of medical cannabis under the former Marihuana Medical Access Regulations in 2013. In August of 2016, their licence was finally approved, and under the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations — which allows Canadians to grow their own medical marijuana — Green Organic Dutchman hopes to provide clients with seeds and clones, pending direction from Health Canada. Skinner is president of the company and, according to VanderMarel, “a Renaissance man who can weld, woodwork, draft, engineer and build anything. He has great vision and creative abilities to implement the requirements of the Marihuana For Medical Purposes Regulations into practical applications.” Beyond a true testament to their dedication and determination to help others with chronic and debilitating conditions, VanderMarel and Skinner’s operation is billed as “farmers, not pharma” and produces small-batch, craft cannabis with an organic and carbon-neutral component.

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cooking with cannabis

Cody Lindsay is a Canadian Forces Veteran and Chef. Living a balanced lifestyle with cannabis, healthy eating, fitness, and meditation, he created The Wellness Soldier, along side his wife Kaleena. The Wellness Soldier helps other Veterans with healthy living and cannabis information, recipes, and videos. Photography by Kaleena Lindsay.

No Bake Chocolate Avocado Mousse w/ Hemp Heart Crust The combination of avocado and cacao powder make this desert creamy and rich, while the addition of the hemp hearts adds crunch and a nutty flavor. Coconut cream adds to the creaminess and gives you a slight hint of coconut flavor to keep your taste buds in anticipation. The avocado’s and the cannabis oil emulsify nicely and you’ll feel good knowing that if you want an extra slice, you can have it!

For Crust: • 2/3 Cup Peace Naturals Hemp Hearts • 8 Pitted Dates • 1 Cup Quick Cooking Oats • 2/3 Cup Pistachios (Unsalted) • 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until well incorporated and able to hold shape when pressed together

For Filling: • 2 Avocados (Large) • 1/2 Cup Cacao Powder • 4 Tbsp Maple Syrup • Your Dosage of Cannabis Oil (the recipe will be able to handle up to 20 ML) • 1 Tbsp Coconut Cream • 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract • Pinch of Salt 1. Place all ingredients in a food processor 2. Turn on food processor and incorporate all ingredients 3. Taste, season, taste 4. Place mixture into crust, and refrigerate for 1 hour prior to serving 5. Serve, eat well, and be happy

2. Press into the bottom of a spring form pan and form your crust 3. Set crust aside for filling

more recipes on page 30 

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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THC BioMed Plant Science THC BioMed Plant Science Town Centre Kelowna, BC 1-844-842-6337 www.thcbiomed.com

Since its inception, THC BioMed has built a reputation for providing innovative research and development in the medical cannabis field by eschewing anecdotal information in favour of empirical evidence and showcasing the science behind the strains. First founded in the heart of BC’s Okanagan Valley in Kelowna under the name THC Medical Systems Ltd. in 2012, the company was the first in Canada to receive an Exemption 56 under Health Canada’s former Marijuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR), allowing it to conduct research and development for scientific purposes with medical cannabis. The company was awarded its cultivation licence for dried marijuana and approval as a licenced producer of fresh marijuana and cannabis oil in 2016 under the former Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, which was recently overhauled and renamed the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). Like many licenced producers around the

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country, THC BioMed is currently awaiting direction from Health Canada on how the new legislation — which allows registered patients seeking to grow their own medical cannabis to obtain genetic starting materials in the form of seeds and clones from established and approved providers like THC BioMed — will work. While it’s not yet known how the rules of the new ACMPR will be administered, THC BioMed is ready, willing and able to begin shipping medical cannabis — whether in the form of dried flowers and oil or starting materials such as clones and seeds — to patients across Canada once the company receives its sales licence from Health Canada. “We’re giving the plant back to the people,” says THC BioMed president and CEO John Miller, a former licenced grower under the MMAR. “What sets us apart is that we take a very different direction at THC BioMed. We understand that there is a very big market that is going to be created around cannabis, but also that up to this point, nothing about cannabis has been discovered in the laboratory, and that’s where we believe the research will begin. We want to be the lab for the people and be able to not only supply strains, but understand the genetics and work with patients to help them understand what effects certain strains will have on them.”

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Marijuana for Trauma Inc. Marijauna for Trauma Inc. “Veterans Helping Veterans” 1-855-638-0420 www.mftgroup.ca

Marijuana for Trauma Now in Six Provinces Fabian Henry’s dream is well on its way to fruition. In just three years, the founder of Marijuana for Trauma Inc. (MFT) has watched his company grow from a small start-up in Oromocto, New Brunswick to a network of 11 wellness centres in 6 provinces today. It’s a journey that started almost a decade ago. In 2007, Henry found himself waging a life-or-death struggle with PTSD after serving as a Canadian combat engineer in Afghanistan, Haiti and Pakistan. Despite a regime of pharmaceuticals, Henry soon slipped into a spiral of alcoholism and depression. At the age of 30, Henry tried medical cannabis for the first time, finding almost immediate relief and respite from PTSD.

Fabian Henry knew there were many more like him out there without access to the one therapy that worked for him. Henry soon picked up the flag and become an advocate for fellow veterans. In 2013, he founded MFT as a support organization connecting veterans and civilians alike to natural and effective medicinal cannabinoid therapies. MFT’s program is unique in Canada. MFT’s wellness centres are focused on helping the whole person and their family. The company offers specialized support programs, peer networks, and wellness programs, with particular expertise in the needs of veterans, police and first responders.

“...we facilitate and support safe and responsible patient access to medically prescribed cannabis by providing access to knowledgeable physicians, navigating the medical and pension benefits maze, and linking clients with appropriate licensed producers of medical-grade marijuana.”

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

profile > Marijuana for Trauma Inc.

Says Henry: “MFT does not dispense marijuana. Instead, we facilitate and support safe and responsible patient access to medically prescribed cannabis by providing access to knowledgeable physicians, navigating the medical and pension benefits maze, and linking clients with appropriate licensed producers of medical-grade marijuana.” MFT, says Henry, is about much more than accessing medicinal marijuana. “All our centres are organized to address the wide ranging needs of veterans, police and first responders, including dealing with the complexities of the paperwork required to secure long-term disability entitlements from Veterans Affairs Canada,” explains Henry. MFT clients have prescriptions for medical marijuana from a licensed medical professional and are approved users of medical marijuana under Health Canada Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. The results speak for themselves, says MFT National Business Manager Jean-Guy Bourguignon: “We’re seeing veterans coming out of the shadows they have lived in, opting to eliminate their dependency on pharmaceuticals or alcohol and engaging once more with their families, peers, and communities.”

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”For many of our patients, medical marijuana is the third or fourth line of treatment” – Francois Halle

Francois Halle, MFT Medical Liaison, says MFT plays a critical role in treating patients with chronic and debilitating conditions. “For many of our patients, medical marijuana is the third or fourth line of treatment. Nothing has worked,” he explains. “Marijuana for Trauma takes the stress and stigma out of accessing a more natural therapy that actually works for these individuals. The ultimate goal of every medical professional dealing with conditions like chronic pain and PTSD is to get patients to a point where they are functional and productive in their daily lives. We are seeing results.” Fabian Henry is proud of MFT’s role in helping Canadians to access medicinal marijuana. “Canada is a world leader in terms of medical cannabis therapy. We’re honoured to be part of this.” Marijuana for Trauma’s wellness centre locations include: St. John’s, NL; Sydney, NS; Oromocto, NB; Markham, ON; Petawawa, ON; Trenton, ON; Kingston, ON; Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, PQ; Pickering, ON; Charlottetown, PE; and Strathroy, ON. Soon to be opened: Okanagan Valley, BC; Edmonton, AB; and Winnipeg, MB.

cooking with cannabis

Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Ganache Since the dawn of edibles one recipe has been in every cannabis baker, edible maker, cook, and chef’s “secret” recipe box: “The WEED BROWNIE”. We at Lift believe everyone should have their own go-to classic cannabis brownie, and of course some extra ooey gooey chocolate ganache. Both recipes are cannabis infused, and since the ganache is a chocolate sauce it can be used in many different ways and with different recipes. For videos on how to create your own cannabis butter and oil please visit The Wellness Soldier’s YouTube channel.

Brownie Ingredients: • 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour • 1/3 Cup Cacao Powder • 1/2 Cup Cannabis Butter • 1 Cup Sugar • 2 Eggs • 5 ML Baking Powder • 1 Tsp Vanilla • 2 ML Salt

Brownie Directions:

Ganache Ingredients:

• Pre-heat oven to 350˚F • Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly • In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla, and cooled butter • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and incorporate slowly • Spread batter into a prepared 8 inch pan and bake for 20-22 minutes • When finished, remove from pan and let cool • Top with chocolate ganache • Serve, eat well, be happy

• 8 Ounces Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips • 3/4 Cup 35% Cream • 2 Tbsp Cannabis Butter • Pinch of Salt

Ganache Directions: 1. Heat cream to a rolling simmer 2. Add it to the chocolate chips and cannabis butter and incorporate 3. Top brownie or use with your favourite recipe

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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Magna Terra Health Services Inc. Magna Terra Health Services Inc. Franco Vigile, President Cell: 613-915-4262 Bus: 613-831-9333 Fax: 613-831-9338 Franco@magnaterra.ca www.magnaterra.ca

Building on a name that derives from the Latin translation of “great things from the ground”, Magna Terra is establishing a network of clinics in the Ottawa area from the ground up that provides licenced patients with safe and responsible access to medical cannabis.

903 Carling Ave. almost a year ago with a second location slated to open soon at 83 Iber Road, but Vigile is already laying the groundwork for a much larger grid and has plans to open as many as 16 locations across Ontario in the next three years, with an eye on expanding nationally after that.

Launched in 2015, Magna Terra offers more than 1,200 licenced members compassionate, patientcentric and personalized service underscored by the company’s focus on innovation, research and education as well as a commitment to risk management and community responsibility.

Beyond various strains of dried marijuana, Magna Terra clinics will also offer a wide array of concentrates, hashish, tinctures, oils and medibles as well as ancillary equipment such as vaporizers, cartridge and refills.

Magna Terra’s flagship clinic — formerly known as the Ottawa Medical Dispensary — was founded at

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“At Magna Terra, we take all appropriate measures to ensure we operate in a manner that restricts access to individuals who do not possess the required documentation to gain access to cannabis and pride ourselves on Franco Vigile President providing patients with personalized service and information on how to select the best type of medicine to alleviate their specific condition or symptoms,” says Magna Terra president and founder Franco Vigile. “Our mission is to provide our members with safe, responsible and timely access to various forms of medical cannabis that are tested, reliable and of the highest quality.”

A Physicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Perspective

The benefits of cannabis By: Dr. Ian Mitchell

As Canada begins to legalize, government and regulatory agencies have been strongly focused on the potential harms of cannabis. This approach is a relic, laden with historical injustice, racism and stigma. As a physician I see drugs as having no moral value, neither good nor evil, only characterized by their potential benefits and detriments. Fentanyl is causing the deaths of hundreds of Canadians a year, but it is also an effective pain reliever that I use in the Emergency Department to treat injured children.

eople have been choosing to use cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years, so there must be benefits to balance out potential harms. In order to present unbiased recommendations for our government to use in its legalization framework, it is critical that the Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation spend equal time reviewing the potential benefits of increased use of cannabis in our society.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

Multiple studies have demonstrated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;munchiesâ&#x20AC;? aside, people who use cannabis are thinner than those who do not and have fewer of the complications that come with obesity such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. The reasons for this are unclear â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one group of researchers found that cannabis use in younger people resulted in decreased obesity via decreased alcohol consumption, while in older people it seemed to be related to increased activity secondary to decreased pain. While I advocate vaporizing cannabis over smoking joints, current research suggests that smoking cannabis is not linked to the development of COPD or lung cancer. The use of cannabis was also correlated with a 45% decrease in the incidence of bladder cancer. The benefits to society as a whole start with the removal of penalties for cannabis use and possession, getting rid of intimidation, imprisonment and stigma. This money (an estimated $328 per cannabis user) can now be diverted to cover the costs of health promotion and harm reduction.

The introduction of medical marijuana laws was associated with a 10% decrease in suicide in men between the ages of 20-40.

In the US, there have been a number of studies that have looked at the effect of the introduction of medical marijuana laws, which have a spillover effect into the recreational marketplace. The introduction of medical marijuana laws was associated with a 10% decrease in suicide in men between the ages of 20-40. In a country in which 22 veterans kill themselves every day, it is understandable why the Pentagon is interested in the treatment of PTSD symptoms with cannabis. States that have legalized medical cannabis have also had a dramatic 25% decrease in their opiate overdose mortality rate. Statistics are not available for Canada, but the annual death toll from opiates in the US is in the range of 28,000 per year. There are public health emergencies currently being declared in various jurisdictions in Canada to deal with the fentanyl/opiate crisis, but none so far have advocated

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increasing access to cannabis as a means to help manage our dual epidemics of chronic pain and opiate deaths. A recent study showed cannabis use is associated with a decrease in use of opiate painkillers along with prescription medications used to treat symptoms of anxiety, nausea, psychosis, seizures, and sleep disorders. Although of great concern to pharmaceutical companies, this can result in significant decreases in the harms of these medications, in addition to considerable cost savings. The researchers estimated The researchers that if the US legalized estimated that if cannabis on a national the US legalized level, they would save cannabis on a $468 million dollars just national level, on medications for the they would save $468 million disabled and those over 65. dollars just on medications for the disabled and those over 65. There may also be benefits to people using it recreationally instead of alcohol. Alcohol is strongly linked to aggression and new research shows that cannabis consumers are less likely to be involved in domestic violence. While the Task Force has rightly raised concerns about impaired driving, it is important to remember that cannabis is far less impairing than alcohol. In fact, research has shown a 9% decrease in traffic fatalities with the passage of medical marijuana laws. The Task Force has talked about using taxation of cannabis to cover expected increases in health costs, which is surprising given that the health costs of cannabis are only about $20 per user (compared to $165 per user with alcohol). Any costs would seem to be easily met by the vast decrease in dollars spent on law enforcement against cannabis users. Expectations of increased costs and harms demonstrate the preconceived biases of those involved with the Task Force. There should be at least as much consideration given to cost savings and potential benefits to the health and welfare of the population; without this, Canadians are still burdened with Drug War ideology.

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Aphria Inc. Aphria Inc. Phone: 1-844-427-4742 Email: info@aphria.com aphria.com

Since its inception, Aphria has meticulously cultivated a reputation for providing top-quality, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products and compassionate patient care. Founded in 2012 in Leamington, ON, the company received its full licenced producer status from Health Canada under the former Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) in November of 2014 and went public later that same year. Today, Aphria counts more than 65,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art greenhouse space and infrastructure in its portfolio, with plans currently underway to further expand its facilities to meet growing demand, bringing the total

campus to 130,000 sq. ft. by December pending Health Canada approvals. Beyond offering a variety of strains of dried marijuana, the company also recently received approval by Health Canada under the MMPR to produce and sell cannabis oil, and will offer three different strains â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a high-THC oil, a high-CBD product and a balanced THC/CBD extract. Aphriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current oil-extraction capacity is approximately 12,000 60-ml bottles a month, but once a second newly acquired extraction machine is brought on line, the company expects to double that output.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

profile > Aphria Inc.

“We’ve modeled ourselves on a combination of growing consistent, standardized and high-quality medical marijuana as a low-cost producer and making sure that our Pharma-based approach touches all aspects of Aphria, including patient care and professional outreach,” says President and CEO Vic Neufeld, who is well-versed in helping fledgling companies build their brand and deliver results. Prior to joining Aphria in 2014, he spent two decades as CEO of Jamieson Laboratories, where he oversaw the company’s growth from $20 million to over $250 million in annual sales and distribution network expand to more than 40 countries.

For Neufeld, his time at the helm of Aphria has not only been rewarding on a professional level but on a personal one as well, and he credits his entire team — from management to marketing, patient-care staff and greenhouse growers — for helping the company stake its claim as one of Canada’s premier providers of top-quality medical cannabis.

Under Neufeld’s leadership, Aphria has become the first public licenced producer of medical cannabis in Canada to report positive cash flow from operations and the first to report positive earnings in consecutive quarters.

“If you want to grow and continue to be successful and best in class you can’t do it on your own. You need to continue to increase your bench strength in terms of leadership and that’s what we’re committed to doing. We’re constantly improving our team with the mindset that where medical care will advance, pharma will one day be a part of it and eventually, so too will recreational use. What forms the provinces take in that regard we don’t know, but we need to be ready, and being ready means having the right leaders.”

Aphria doesn’t only produce and sell medical cannabis to thousands of patients across the country, however. It also does a brisk business on the wholesale side of the ledger, establishing relationships with other licenced producers in the industry that often turn to Aphria for quality, reliable products to help meet the needs of their own clients.

Sampling of Aphria cannabis oil. Learn more at www.aphria.com

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Zoned Out By: Hugo Alves and Vladimir Klacar

New Restrictions on Marijuana Counselling Centres in Calgary

their registered licensed producer, finding appropriate strains and consumption methods through trial and error. Counselling businesses fill this knowledge gap and simplify the process for patients.

n June 13, 2016, the Calgary City Council approved amendments to the City’s Land Use By-Laws in order to accommodate and manage medical marijuana counselling businesses. Medical marijuana counselling centres provide counselling and informational services to authorized medical marijuana patients, such as education on medical marijuana consumption methods and strain selection counselling, to assist patients in selecting appropriate strains for their particular ailments. These businesses do not dispense marijuana to patients, rather they assist patients in navigating the legal medical marijuana regime. Since medical marijuana is prescribed and obtained differently than traditional prescription medications, demand exists for third party counselling services to fill the knowledge gap. With traditional medication, a patient is able to obtain information regarding the prescription drug from either the prescribing doctor or dispensing pharmacist. A medical marijuana patient may face difficulty obtaining the same information, and must rely solely on information from

In support of the amendments, the City administrators argued that medical marijuana counselling businesses fall between two currently regulated categories: medical clinics (those operated by a medical professional) and counselling services (where people receive treatment, advice, or guidance for emotional, psychological, or life-management issues). The City administrators also suggested that medical marijuana counselling businesses are somewhat controversial as the public may view them as precursors to retail sale of marijuana. The By-Law Amendments According to the Amendments, medical marijuana counselling businesses are subject to a new range of regulations that are, among other things, intended to manage the clustering and proliferation of medical marijuana counselling centres, and to impose minimum distance requirements from schools. In particular, medical marijuana counselling centres must be separated from each other by at least 300 meters and must be at least 150 meters away from schools. In addition, medical marijuana counselling centres have been designated as a “discretionary” land use in the City of Calgary. This means that an operator of the business must obtain a permit from the City, which the City is not required to grant even if the

business is in complete compliance with the By-Law. Therefore, meeting all of the By-Law requirements does not guarantee the business will be approved. In our view, the Amendments are somewhat misguided. As shown in the City administrators’ report, medical marijuana counselling businesses fill an existing knowledge gap and provide patients with much needed information regarding the use of medical marijuana, including what constitutes legal and illegal supply. Furthermore, we disagree that these businesses are a precursor to retail sale of marijuana. Unlike dispensaries, marijuana counselling businesses provide information to patients and, from our experience, do not engage in the illegal sale of marijuana. Restricting the ability of these businesses to operate may serve to cut-off an important source of information to medical marijuana patients in Calgary and therefore negatively impact patients and restrict access to medical marijuana. Looking Ahead Municipalities across Canada have taken different approaches to dealing with marijuana related businesses (including illegal dispensaries and legal counselling businesses). However, the ability of a patient to knowledgably and effectively access medical marijuana needs to be uniform across the country. The federal government’s plan to legalize and regulate marijuana will need to ensure that medical marijuana patients across Canada are treated equally, including ensuring that such equal treatment is not unduly circumvented by provincial and/or municipal legislation and regulation.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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MariCann Inc. MariCann Inc. Phone: 844-MariCann (627-4226) clients@maricann.ca www.maricann.ca

Much like the medical marijuana industry in which it plies its trade, MariCann is growing in every sense of the word.

of physicians who are incorporating medical cannabis as a safer and more natural alternative to conventional treatments for their patients.

Established in 2013 and subsequently licensed in December 2014, MariCann is a licensed producer of medical cannabis utilizing state-of-the-art Greenhouse technology growing in amended soil. MariCann’s growing and distribution facility in Norfolk County, Southern Ontario encompasses 30,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse and 10,000 sq. ft. of processing and storage space.

Beyond dried buds, MariCann is also in the final stages of working with Health Canada to amend its license and receive approval to sell cannabis oil.

In the next year, however, that capacity could significantly jump with the company’s recent acquisition of 97 additional acres of adjacent farmland. It’s a necessary expansion in order for MariCann to keep up with demand — not only from a roster of registered clients across the country that numbered north of 3,200 in 2015 — but to ensure MariCann meets the demand generated by a growing number

“Outside of consistently producing some of the best-quality strains available, we are also focused on development of future strains to meet the needs of our clients. I think our strength has been a management team that collectively brings together more than 150 years of pharmaceutical experience,” says MariCann Vice President Peter Saunders. “We’re strongly focused on building core relationships with physicians and healthcare providers across the country, working from a science- and evidence-based approach to provide patients with the best outcome possible. Quite simply, the health and well-being of Canadians is our ultimate goal.”

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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Cannabis Literacy Refocusing the discussion around youth and cannabis By: Jenna Valleriani

“We need a regulatory framework around the distribution and access to marijuana, because of the fact we’re concerned about the rates of use in children and because of the fact that the profits are currently going into the hands of criminal organizations. It’s a regulatory framework that will address those two problems most robustly.” – Health Minister Jane Philpott in an interview with Maclean’s, 2016

ith legalization looming near, the government of Canada has promised a legalization regime that focuses not on the “creation of a boutique industry”, but rather one which has two specific goals in mind: 1) to protect young people, and 2) to weaken the illicit market. While restricting access to young people has been the focus of the Liberal government’s approach, in order for legalization to actually protect youth we need to refocus our conversations beyond restrictions. Instead, we should prioritize developing Canadians’ “cannabis literacy” with current and complete research.

continued on page 48 

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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treat this research as if using cannabis once, or even occasionally, would result in these potential outcomes.

One issue at the forefront of legalization debates concerns when Canadians should be able to access cannabis. Age restrictions will make all the difference between protecting youth and (over) criminalizing them. Youth 18-24 use cannabis at higher rates than any other age demographic in Canada, and as prohibition has shown, restrictions are not enough to stop people from using cannabis. Age restrictions as high as 21 or even 25 would push many people to access cannabis illegally and from potentially more dangerous sources, or access synthetic versions of cannabis which can be harmful.

As a result of these studies, despite no consensus in the research, many cannabis-focused clinics across Canada have shaped policies that exclude anyone under the age of 25. While cannabis can already be difficult to access for medical reasons, this presents additional barriers to finding physicians who would be willing to work with young people, and leaves some to source cannabis for medical reasons from the illicit market. The fear of cannabis ‘causing’ psychosis is another issue discussed when we talk about young people. There is an established association between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but like the research mentioned above, cannabis has not been established as the cause. As the International Center for Science in Drug Policy points out, if cannabis use caused schizophrenia, we should have observed a trend of increased diagnoses as rates of cannabis use increased throughout the years (ICSDP 2015). This hasn’t been the case.

Cannabis literacy is centred on the development of skills that will help young people obtain, process and understand health information needed to make informed decisions around using cannabis. Young adults, particularly minority youth, already account for a disproportionate amount of drug related charges in Canada, a majority of which are for cannabis possession alone. By implementing an age limit that is too high, we will simply continue this trend of criminalizing our most vulnerable populations. It would make sense to follow already established age limits for accessing alcohol: 18 or 19 years old depending on the province. Anything higher would not only be difficult to enforce, but would also arbitrarily treat cannabis as more dangerous than other legally accessible substances, which research shows is simply not the case. Closely related to the discussion of age limits is the developing research on cannabis use and cognition. Although research does show a relationship between cognitive deficiencies and cannabis use in youth, we simply don’t know yet if cannabis is part of a variety of correlated or associated factors, or if cannabis is actually the cause. This research also used groups of heavy and long-term users, which account for a very small percentage of youth cannabis users (roughly 2%). It’s inaccurate to

There is some evidence to show that cannabis use can present an increased risk for those who are genetically predisposed to schizophrenia. However, it’s still contested, and some research (such as Sevy et al. 2010), has demonstrated this relationship disappears once you consider gender, socioeconomic status and mental health history. Driving under the influence is another oft discussed issue, but it’s already illegal; in fact, it’s a serious crime to drive impaired. The difficult part is that we don’t actually know, scientifically, what an accurate “level of impairment” would be, like we do with alcohol, particularly since we know cannabis affects each person differently. Research is moving quickly on this, to develop tools to try to capture impairment under the influence of cannabis. Driving while using cannabis is no more of a concern with youth than it is with the general population, but again, rather than only focusing on restrictions, realistic and strategic national campaigns that provide information to young people continued on page 50 

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

(without a paternalistic and anti-drug tone) will be key to shifting norms around cannabis and driving. Rather than always talking about harms and restrictions, we’ve heard relatively little on what will be done to bridge the information gap to not just young people, but all Canadians. Probably the most important part of any successful legalization regime, particularly on youth outcomes, will be the development of what Dr. Lynne Belle-Isle, co-founder of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, refers to as “cannabis literacy”1. Cannabis literacy is centred on the development of skills that will help young people obtain, process and understand health information needed to make informed decisions around using cannabis. While there are various ideas on the best way to approach the realities of cannabis use and reducing the potential for harm, we do know fact-based programming is more likely to succeed than programs that focus on abstinence only – a point made by Health Canada and the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse almost a decade ago. Cannabis education can’t approach young people in a way that aims to eliminate and demonize all cannabis use, but rather it must focus on providing youth with up-to-date information, research, compassion, and the tools to reduce harms if they do

choose to try cannabis in their adolescence. Hopefully we will see the government move away from fear-mongering anti-drug Public Service Announcements, which have been shown to carry substantial costs and are ineffective at its aims (Werb et al. 2011), and move more towards realistic drug education. We can build cannabis literacy by engaging young people in real discussions that are relevant to their everyday lives. References

ICSDP. (2015). Cannabis Claims. Retrieved online from www.icsdp.org/cannabis_claims Savy, S., Robinson, D.G., Napolitano, B., Patel, R., Gunduz-Bruce, H., Miller, R., McCormack, J., Lorell, B.S., and Kane, J. (2010). “Are Cannabis Use Disorders Association with an Earlier Age at Onset of Psychosis? A study in first episode schizophrenia”. Schizophrenia Research 120(1-3): 101-107. Werb, D., Mills, E.J., DeBeck, K., Kerr, T., Montaner, J.S.G., and Wood, E. (2011). “The effectiveness of anti-illicit-drug publicservice announcements: a systematic review and meta-analysis”. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. doi:10.1136/ jech.2010.125195 In a recent presentation at the 2nd Annual Charting the Future of Drug Policy conference on June 17, 2016

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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Patient Voices

As the premier source of information for medical marijuana patients, one of the key priorities at Lift is to capture the stories of these patients.

By: Julie Dujardin

t is my honour to share the personal details of my healing journey with cannabis, an experience I finally feel free and safe to share. I believe cannabis testimonials should be shared with the public as they have been locked away and unnecessarily distorted for too long.

noting that I would most likely continually need to increase the dose. I never liked pharmaceuticals, and I asked several doctors about a medical marijuana approval but they refused and looked at me as if I was just trying to work the system.

I have been practicing healing massage as a profession for over 28 years. I currently live in Vancouver, but am originally from Toronto. Growing up in Ontario, I never took an interest in pot. I had one toke at 20; the effect was relaxing but it was no big deal to me. It wasn’t until after I entered beautiful British Columbia that I had my first real experience with marijuana and found it to be so soothing to my body and mind.

For years I continued to ask different doctors to sign a dispensary permission form in acknowledgement of my arthritic diagnosis. Again, the faces they made and the reactionary responses made me feel like I was asking to buy crack with a gun. I feel this is so unprofessional and indicative of the prejudices that exist towards anyone asking for medicinal marijuana.

Since that experience, marijuana continued to be a part of my life. Cannabis has always had a positive effect for me. Uplifting, euphoric, muscle relaxing and peaceful, THC has physically been an emotional healer for me, bringing a sense of relief and ease to any body or heart ache. In 2009 I began circuit training, something I had never done before. Within months, my body shut down in extreme pain and weakness and I became bedridden for most of the day, screaming in pain from locked back and neck spasms. It was a year until I discovered the cause of this to be a crumbled area in my C3 cervical spine concluding in osteoarthritis. This state was triggered by the hardcore workouts revealing a pre-existing issue. The doctor informed me I would only get worse. He offered glucosamine and pharmaceutical painkillers,

I was finally approved by a doctor at a little walk-in clinic in Kitsilano. She encouraged me to try different strains, forms, and dosages to discover what worked best for my own healing overall. She believed in me and my instinct to use the plant for my health. I dabbled and discovered a literal candy store! While the chocolates and candies energized me, lifted my spirits, and took my pain away, I found that no one helped assess me or appeared interested in turning my health around. At the same time I was diagnosed with a new health issue, Menorrhagia. Being over 40, this excessive bleeding is considered quite common and most women are given the choice of a pharmaceutical or a hysterectomy. I wasn’t having either of those suggestions or buying into the doctors’ fears about potential cancer.

In 2015, I discovered The Village Dispensary where I was greeted by Jeremy and Andrea Dobbs who helped match my health needs to the plants’ strains and forms. I found CBD powder capsules to be my sweet spot, in combination with a nutrient rich supplement, and within 24 hours my bleeding stopped. I now take large amounts of vegan THC chocolate from Budderfly Infusions. I experience a lot of pain without cannabis, such as fissures in my sacrum, swelling in my ankles, depression, and weakness in my walk. The medicine is a significant part of my day. I also use CBD massage oil personally, and I practice healing massage with CBD oils which bring health and happiness to my clients’ skin, bone and muscle aches. I am well on my way to a ‘pain free with strength’ reality. Cannabis’ effect is instant and far reaching, right down to my bones. CBD and THC have been life changing and have done me nothing but good all around. I am so thankful that people are free to choose, and have access to the quality of medicine they want and need.

Cannabis Magazine | Fall 2016

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