Toronto's first pot clinic opens on Danforth Ave.

http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2014/06/30/torontos_first_pot_clinic_opens_on_danforth_ave.html


Toronto's first medical marijuana clinic opened Monday on Danforth Ave., near Broadview Ave. Dr. Ryan Yermus consults patients with existing medical conditions about whether pot can help them. If appropriate, he writes them a prescription

By: Isabel Teotonio Living reporter, Published on Mon Jun 30 2014
Toronto’s first medical marijuana clinic opened Monday along a bustling stretch of Danforth Ave., attracting a handful of patients eager to get prescriptions for cannabis.

The storefront clinic, which drew the attention of bemused passersby, is the first of several pot-friendly clinics expected to open in the city.

At the helm of Medical Marijuana Clinics of Canada is family physician Dr. Ryan Yermus, who was motivated to open the facility after seeing patients — and a family friend with multiple sclerosis — struggle to access cannabis.

“With the new regulations in place, I thought the opportunity was there to create a place that could service these patients and work with them to help them gain access in a way that is non-judgmental,” says Yermus.

“And, to work with them to relieve the symptoms they’re suffering from and help them improve their quality of life.”

Under new rules introduced in April, medical marijuana patients are no longer licensed by the government, but must now get prescriptions for cannabis from a doctor or nurse practitioner. Patients must then buy their weed from a licensed commercial grower.

The reluctance of many doctors to prescribe pot has created a business opportunity for those willing to meet patient demand for medical marijuana.

At Yermus’s clinic, patients don’t need a referral but must provide documentation of the medical condition for which they want pot. He says qualifying conditions include HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, seizure disorders, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression.

And, if pot is prescribed, patients must pay a $200 annual fee for a safety monitoring system. That basically means the clinic will follow up with patients to ensure there are no side effects, and patients will be able to contact doctors if they have any concerns or questions arise. (The actual medical visits to doctors are covered by OHIP.)

On July 14, family physician Dr. Danial Schecter will open Cannabinoid Medical Clinic, a referral-only clinic at the corner of Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. E.

For a fee, Schecter’s clinic will also offer ancillary services, such as advanced cannabinoid education and assistance in filling out forms for the licensed producer. Such services are optional and can be purchased individually or as a bundle for $200.

Neither the Danforth Ave. clinic, located near Broadview Ave., nor the uptown facility, will have any marijuana on the premises.

Medicinal Cannabis Resource Centre Inc., which is based in Vancouver, is currently scouting locations for two walk-in clinics in Toronto.

I wonder how the Colleges plan on dealing with these new Dr. Kamermans? This kind of thing should help his case I'm sure.
Should be interesting to see how it all goes down.

In my non-expert opinion it's the OHIP charges that draw too much attention.
Selling prescriptions is also an issue, but charging OHIP for every visit might get even more eyes on them.

I'm excited to see how it goes and if they stick to the "must provide documents" portion then they might do alright and stay safe.

nothing concrete about "must provide documents" they are only suggesting that right now....

and even if they do..Its all part of doing business. Just a formality. The media hype makes it sound as though there is a sounding board for fuck sakes. The paper will just pile up and get filed. Formalities.

Welcome to Toronto, the city where out of province patients go to get a script.

I'm no expert on how to ride a bike, but don't you need the kickstand up..... fucking stupid woman cop

oh I guess I should edit this..... made a mistake.... that's the strap to the foot holder
anyways ....fucking stupid woman cop

http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2014/07/02/desperate_patients_seek_relief_at_toronto_marijuana_clinic.html

Desperate patients seek relief at Toronto marijuana clinic
But critics say it's unethical for doctors to charge fee for prescription followup.

Dr. Ryan Yermus consults with Ruth, 72, who is battling crippling osteoarthritis. Yermus opened the first medical marijuna clinic in the city on Monday.

By: Isabel Teotonio Living reporter, Published on Wed Jul 02 2014
The door to the medical office opens slowly, and a woman steps into the cool interior.

The 72-year-old has a slight hunch in her back and knobby, swollen fingers. She’s come here, to Toronto’s first cannabis medical clinic, seeking relief from a constant ache — in her hands, feet and spine — wreaked by three decades of osteoarthritis.

“The pain is all through my body,” explained Ruth on Monday at the opening ofMedical Marijuana Clinics of Canada on Danforth Ave.

“I can’t write. I can’t take a lid off a jar. And I can’t turn a door knob,” continued Ruth, who requested her surname not be published because she worries her landlord will frown upon her marijuana use.

Like Ruth, other patients on hand are eager for symptomatic relief and have come to get a prescription for medical marijuana. But because many physicians are reluctant to prescribe pot, some doctors are opening specialized cannabis clinics to meet the demand.

This clinic, located near Broadview Ave., is the first of several expected to open in the city. On July 14, the Cannabinoid Medical Clinic, will open at the corner of Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. E. And Vancouver-based Medicinal Cannabis Resource Centre Inc. is scouting locations for two walk-in clinics.

“The courts have already ruled that patients who want access to medical marijuana have the right to do so,” says family physician Dr. Ryan Yermus, who runs the Danforth Ave.

“I see our role at this clinic being to help those patients, who want to advocate for themselves and want to access medical marijuana, do so in a way that is responsible with proper medical supervision and proper medical followup.”

Under new rules introduced in April, medical marijuana patients no longer need a licence from the government, but they must now get pot prescriptions from a doctor or nurse practitioner. Patients can only buy weed from a licensed commercial grower. Health Canada expects that by 2024 more than 450,000 people will be using marijuana for medical reasons, generating $1.3 billion in annual sales.

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), The College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada are critical of the legislative changes. They argue there’s little scientific proof that marijuana is safe and medically beneficial.

CMA president Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti says licensed producers are targeting physicians with ads in medical journals and through direct emails.

“Physicians are going to have to tread very carefully because there’s a multi-billion-dollar industry out there that has product they have to move,” said Francescutti. “And, as of April, physicians are the barrier to moving that product.”



In an effort to monitor prescriptions, Health Canada recently proposed amending the regulations to require licensed producers to regularly report to medical and nursing licensing bodies, who exactly is prescribing pot, and in what quantities. (A public comment period about this ends July 13.)

At Yermus’s clinic, patients don’t require a referral but must provide documentation of the medical condition for which they want pot. He says qualifying conditions include HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, seizure disorders, fibromyalgia and anxiety.

The medical consultation with Yermus is covered by OHIP but, if pot is prescribed, patients must pay a $200 annual fee for a “safety monitoring system.” That means his clinic will follow up with patients to ensure there are no side effects, and patients can contact doctors with questions.

Also on-hand at this clinic are advisers from CanvasRx, who help patients select a strain, pick a supplier, and fill out registration forms for the licensed producer. (CanvasRx says it’s not in partnership with any licensed producers and will present patients with all available options.)

On Monday, Ruth is one of the first patients to arrive — only a handful of appointments are booked for opening day. About a dozen people wander in seeking information, and bemused passersby point at the sign and peer into the clinic.

After two decades of popping 15 pills a day — tranquilizers and pain killers — Ruth wants an alternative. She weaned herself off those pills six months ago because she felt they weren’t working, worried about their addictive nature, and feared she would accidentally mix them up.

“When you’re taking that many pills, you don’t think straight,” says the senior, adding she could never get a proper night’s rest.

She started medicating with butter made from marijuana, purchased at a compassion club. A little dab on bread each evening gave her a good night’s sleep. But she never really knew exactly what she was consuming — once she ate a marijuana cookie and was sick for days.

She suspects her own doctor wouldn’t write a pot prescription, so she’s come to Yermus’s clinic. She’s hoping to be prescribed a strain that is low in THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

“I’m not interested in getting high, I’m interested in sleeping.”

For Ruth, whose annual income is under $20,000, the clinic’s $200 fee is “a huge cost — it will take half my grocery money this month.” But, she adds, “I’m desperate.”

Many other patients are desperate, too. Family physician Dr. Danial Schecter, who will open the referral-only Cannabinoid Medical Clinic midmonth, says doctors are “waiting anxiously” for his clinic to open.

“Physicians are limited in terms of treating certain conditions,” explains Schecter. “And for those patients who have failed first or second-line therapies, and have seen several specialists, their primary care practitioners are looking for other ways of approaching these patients’ symptoms and getting them care that they need.”

For a fee, Schecter’s clinic will also offer ancillary services, such as advanced cannabinoid education and assistance in filling out forms for the licensed producer. Such services are optional and can be purchased individually or as a bundle for $200. (To help offset those costs Schecter is asking licensed producers to provide discounts on pot for his patients.)

Dr. Meldon Kahan, medical director of Substance Use Service at Women’s College Hospital says it is “unethical” for clinics to charge patients.

“I’m telling doctors, ‘Don’t refer anybody to a cannabinoid clinic that charges patients,’” says Kahan. “And don’t refer to a cannabinoid clinic unless you’re confident they provide a comprehensive assessment and they prescribe in a prudent way.”

Prudent, he says, is about half a gram of marijuana per day — about one joint — containing less than 9 per cent THC. Especially concerning, says Kahan, is that some licensed producers are making strains with up to 30 per cent THC, which is much stronger than weed sold on the street.

At the end of her consultation with Yermus, Ruth emerges with a prescription for half a gram of marijuana per day — she intends to vaporize or mix it with honey. CanvasRx staff help her place an order with a licensed producer for 15 grams of marijuana, which should be delivered to her home by week’s end. (There’s no marijuana at the clinic itself.)

The marijuana costs about $150. She’ll have to cut back on her grocery bill this month, but a full night of rest is worth it.

“With marijuana, I wake up feeling like the day is worth living,” says Ruth.

Minutes later she heads home, hobbling along Danforth Ave., stopping to rest at every bench along the way.

Will she even know what real marijuana looks like or will she think the $150 shmeg she's gonna get is the real deal.

Jackal69 said:

I'm no expert on how to ride a bike, but don't you need the kickstand up..... fucking stupid woman cop

oh I guess I should edit this..... made a mistake.... that's the strap to the foot holder
anyways ....fucking stupid woman cop

Click to expand...

should have just deleted the post. cops are smarter than you think! your the stoner and you made the dumb mistake. stupid forum person.
and woman hater, or is it cause you hate woman cops? lmfao

chill fuck

Mix with honey? What does that do?
Someone should teach her about decarboxylation, Delta 9 THC and THC acid.
The doctor should at least let her know that mixing with honey will do nothing to activate her medicine.
What kind of vaporizer does she have or want? A Volcano will set her back a few months worth of groceries.
She needs to learn how to make her own cannabis butter.
"Herb for my wine.
Honey for my strong drink." Bob

Jackal69 said:

chill fuck

Click to expand...

now im the fuck? your the fucking retard.
I was just pointing out how dumb dope smokers really are.
you should move in with hippy

Enough already. He probably meant, "Chill. Fuck."
Alternatively he was actually calling you "fuck" and you can't handle it, so you referred to him as someone with a mental disability, in a forum filled with medical patients. Then you called dope smokers dumb.

We know you're shilling for a wannabe, so grow up and represent yourself and your company better.

rnr said:

now im the fuck? your the fucking retard.
I was just pointing out how dumb dope smokers really are.
you should move in with hippy

Click to expand...

What did you do sit on a cactus ...ya asshole....shut the fuck up dick spit. Ya show what a goof ya are by coming on here insulting people for no real reason. You may like to think your a grown man but you seem more like a juvenile boy instead. Are you even old enough to be on here alone? Say something intelligent will ya. Someone near you should smack ya good. Your lack of any real info or feeling's is simply amazing.
I'm one click away from " ignoring " this moron as his shit isn't worth the time to read it. It's like paying attention to one of those motorized clowns at the side of the road they use for advertising...a complete waste of time....same goes for nuggz420 that little twerp.

rnr. you're the only dope smokin stoner here Mr.


We're all patients. rdr