Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in local pharmacies. Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modeled on the program in the Netherlands. (HempPharm.com comment; except, of course, everything else is different in the Netherlands, see coffeeshops, but this is 'overlooked.'

Today a 30-gram bag of dried cannabis buds costs 113 Canadian dollars (1 Euro = 1.60 Canadian dollars), and is sent by courier directly to patients that are allowed to use cannabis or to their doctors. But the health ministry wants to change the regulations to allow participating pharmacies to stock marijuana for direct sale to approved patients without a doctor's prescription.

A notice of the change is expected to be made public this spring, allowing for drugstore distribution later in the year. "We're just at the preliminary stages right now," said Robin O'Brien, a pharmacist who is organizing the pilot project for the government. The pilot project will take place in British Columbia because the province's association of pharmacists issued a statement last fall supporting the distribution of medical marijuana in pharmacies, while most health care organizations oppose easier access.

Source: Associated Press of 21 March 2004. HempPharm comments: It is amazing how the Canadian officials have been afraid to set their own course. This move is a direct slap in the face of all Canadian cannabis buyers clubs! Politics before the health of an entire nation! This is puzzling indeed! 'Most health care organizations' need to get their heads out of their asses.