Shoppers Drug Mart has applied to distribute medical marijuana.
While the pharmacy giant notes that permitting this would improve patient care, some industry experts suggest that users could face higher prices and have access to fewer strains of the plant.
Currently, federal regulations allow registered patients to buy cannabis directly from licensed producers, who mail the product to users. As such, Canada’s Shoppers won’t be permitted to sell medical marijuana in-store unless Ottawa rethinks the legislation.
The retailer has also applied to become a producer of cannabis. However, Tammy Smitham, a spokeswoman for Shoppers Drug Mart, says that the retailer has “no intention” of producing cannabis. Smitham notes that this application is merely an administrative requirement needed to distribute medical marijuana.
Recently, the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) has expressed that pharmacies should play a leading role in the distribution of medical marijuana.
Cannabis Canada says that adding a pharmacies to the equation could provide some benefits, allowing medical marijuana users to consult with their pharmacists in person. However, it may also raise prices and possibly create dispensing fees, according to Colette Rivet the executive director of Cannabis Canada.
With Shoppers making this bold move, independent pharmacists must consider the benefits of entering—or remaining separate from—this potentially lucrative business.
