Technology


Everything you need to know about legally accessing medical cannabis in Canada


Marshall Posner T


here are currently several misconceptions about accessing cannabis in Canada. Let’s make it crystal clear by telling you, at present, the only current


legal method of accessing cannabis in Canada is with a medical prescription. If you don’t have a medical prescription, then you are not allowed to purchase and consume cannabis at this time. However, with the pending legalization of recreational


cannabis later this year and the proliferation of illegal marijuana dispensaries and online cannabis websites across the country, that pretend to service the medical cannabis marketplace, it’s easy to understand how Ca- nadians are confused about the current legal process to access medical cannabis. Granted, once recreational cannabis is legalized, it will


be available across Canada in either private corporate stores or provincially owned cannabis stores, similar to existing liquor marts or vendors. As well, there will be online sales available in every province as well. However, keep in mind, that only dried flower and extracts will be available for sale initially, with cannabis edibles and additional products such as topicals, pen vaporizers and others becoming available throughout the first year of legalization. In summary, it’s important to realize that until legali-


zation occurs anyone accessing cannabis either through the black market or from a dispensary storefront or online website is doing so illegally. Tere are no exceptions to this type of access. If Canadians want to access medical cannabis then they


need to first visit a doctor and obtain a medical prescrip- tion. Ten, they need to register with a Licensed Producer, which is a company that is licensed and regulated by Health Canada to provide various forms of cannabis to patients across the country. Once registered, medical patients can start ordering various cannabis products from these Licensed Producers. It’s also important to realize that only those companies


that have been licensed and authorized by Health Canada are legally approved to produce and sell medical cannabis products. Tese Licensed Producers follow strict produc- tion standards and safety measures in order to ensure quality and protect patients. Be sure to always protect yourself by verifying the


source of your medicine and understanding the conse- quences of procuring medical cannabis from an unau- thorized and illegal source. 1. How and where can I legally obtain medical can-


nabis? Licensed Producers (LP’s) authorized by Health Canada


are currently the only legal source of cannabis for patients across Canada. Here is an up-to-date list of all of the cur- rent LP’s - www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/info/ list-eng.php. In order to obtain medical cannabis in Canada, the first


step is to meet with your doctor. If you’re qualified, your doctor will then be required to complete a Medical Docu-


ment from an LP. Once your doctor has completed this Medical Document, you will also be required to complete an Application Document to register as a patient. Here are the current Delta 9 documents and application forms that you require - https://www.delta9.ca/become-a-patient/. Once registered with Delta 9, you can then place an


order either through our online Patient Portal or by telephone from one of our knowledgeable and friendly Customer Care Team Specialists. Direct and discreet delivery from a Licensed Producer,


via Canada Post or courier, is the only legal procurement method currently available in Canada. Tere are currently NO other legal suppliers of medical


cannabis in Canada. 2. How do I know I am getting a safe, quality product? Licensed Producers regulate products for safety & qual-


ity in the following ways: • Medical cannabis is cultivated according to Good


Production Practices (GPP) and subjected to regular and rigorous Health Canada quality and regulatory audits. • Cannabinoid levels of THC and CBD are tested for


accuracy in each and every product. • Testing for impurities (e.g. fungus, bacteria, and heavy


metals) is conducted to guarantee safety of all cannabis products. • Packaging and labelling must conform to strict regula-


tions and all cannabis products are sold in child-resistant containers. With all other illegal suppliers, the source of the product


and its contents and safety, are unknown and unregulated. 3. How do I protect myself when buying medical


cannabis? Licensed Producers offer their patients full protection


in the following ways: • Proof of legal possession is provided by Delta 9 and


our patients can therefore travel within Canada with their medication. • Delta 9 patients can consult with our knowledgeable


and friendly Customer Care Team regarding product information and efficacy. • Delta 9 patients are protected by Health Canada qual-


ity regulations including a product recall mechanism in case of potential harmful product issues. • Medical cannabis from Delta 9 is a claimable medical


expense on your personal federal tax return. Consult with your accountant to determine your eligible deductions for the total amount spent on your medicine each and every calendar year. • Several insurance companies such as Blue Cross and


Sun Life have recently started to offer medical cannabis coverage as part of their plans. Be sure to check whether your medical condition is covered with your existing medical plan. With all other illegal Suppliers, patients are NOT legally


protected if stopped by police, there is NO recall mechanism to protect them in the event of product impurities and their medical cannabis expenses are NOT tax deductible or cov- ered by insurance plans. Marshall Posner is VP, Sales & Marketing, Delta 9 Can-


nabis Inc.


Concerns over plastics will cause change R


ecent news regarding plastics has been getting a lot of atten- tion lately. One report said that


the Pacific Ocean plastic patch is three times greater than the area of France. One study also pointed out there would be more plastic than fish in the oceans of the world by 2050. If that does not get to you, then consider this: A whale died recently af- ter consuming too much plastic in the ocean. Regardless plastic is


not very good for the en- vironment. From shop- ping bags to packaging to containers, and drink- ing straws its all over, as National Geographic said we are "drowning in plastic". Studies have shown that it takes years to biodegrade plastics ranging from 10 to 100 years for a bag to 450 for bottles. Despite its advantages, of being cost-


most standard plastic come from petrol based oil products, which are from fos- sil fuels. Tese types of plastics make it very hard to break down. Tis causes in the long-term plastic to remain as they can not break down, causing environ- mental repercussions ranging from, leftover trash, affecting habitat space, and injury and death to animals. These problems have


to lead to action in many parts of the world by gov- ernments. France in 2016 banned plast ic, cups, straws, cutlery and plates. Vancouver also voted to eliminate plastic straws by 2019. Prince Edward Is- land recently voted to ban single-use shopping bags. Businesses are also be-


Clean Tech Adam Johnston


effective and holding large amounts of volume (consider pop bottles), and hard to break, its benefits have neglect- ed to look at the overall environmental impact which has gotten it to the point we have reached now. Te main reason for this concern is


July 2018


coming more serious about reducing plastic use. Both Salisbury House and A&W are eliminating plast ic


straws in favor of more biodegradable alternative in the market. The concerns and action taken in


recent years is just the start of what I think will be eventual phasing out of petrochemical-based plastic products. More governments will continue to eliminate or phase out plastic-based


Social Media Alyson Shane


Find your social media voice


E


very business owner knows that social media satura- tion, competitive paid promotions, and fierce online competition in over-saturated marketplaces make it


harder than ever for a business to stand out online. Enter: the Voice + Tone document.


Tis super-powerful document helps maintain a unique


and on-brand "voice" across all of your communication channels. It's critical to help con- sumers understand your brand's values, mission, and your unique value proposition (UVP.) Not only does a voice and


tone document help your brand sound more like a human and less like a robot, but this docu- ment will help to guide building a trusting two-way relationship with customers and affiliate businesses, and increases the likelihood that users will re- spond to and share your content, which amplifies your organic (non-paid) social efforts. Let's dive right in so you can


start developing yours: Voice + Tone: A Refresher


Voice and tone sound similar, but are actually two parts of


a whole. Your brand's voice should be consistent across all of your digital channels and communication platforms (blog, website, newsletter, ads, etc.); however, your tone may differ depending on who you're speaking to, and where. Voice is how your brand expresses its personality in gen-


eral. Look to specific adjectives, values, and pre-determined statements about the brand to guide your voice. Tone is how your brand's voice is applied in different situations. "Tone" can differ depending on the social network and context in which you're speaking (e.g.: users use more formal language on LinkedIn than Facebook.) Finding your brand's ideal voice and tone may take several


iterations to get right, especially after times of change such as a new product launch, change in management at the C-suite level, or a merger. However, these steps will get you started: Build a Brand Persona


You've probably heard about "Buyer Personas" or "Buyer


Profiles" before, but have you spent the time necessary to develop a "persona" for your brand? If you haven't, now's the perfect time to sit down and ask


yourself and your management team some important ques- tions about how you want your brand to be perceived online (hint: your UVP may have some answers, so make sure to have it on-hand as well.) Some questions to get you started include:


What are our values? What sets us apart from our com-


petitors? Who are we creating content for? Who are our "audience"


online? Where do our audience spend time online? How do we want


to communicate with them? How does our audience communicate with us and others


on social media? What language and tone are they using? Write With Buyer Profiles in Mind One of the most effective ways to understand how to talk


to your audience is to re-assess who you're talking to, and where they are in their Buyer Journeys. If you have them, this is the ideal time to whip out your Buyer Profiles (or your Ideal Customer Profile [ICP] if you have one) to use as your guide. As an example, here are some voice and tone takeaways that


products. While there is no ban on plastic bags


or straws in Winnipeg, there have been numerous petitions circulating regard- ing the elimination of these products. Businesses, thanks to consumer


pressure, will continue to reduce their use of plastic products. Consider, Dol- larama this spring announced they would charge $0.05 a bag, while also bringing in reusable bags. As plastic use declines, opportuni-


ties will grow for more environmen- tally friendly alternatives to plastic. Te demand for paper-based straws, bioplastic packaging and bags will con- tinue to grow as companies will need to seek alternatives to petrol based plastic straws, bags, and packaging. In eliminating plastic, there is no


best way to do it. However, by using an all of the above approach, includ- ing phasing out of the product, offer- ing reusable items, and creating new markets for biodegradable alternatives (bioplastics), while it may take a long time, plastic use will eventually will fade away. Adam Johnston is a freelance writer


and owns a part-time social media and cleantech writing business. You can go to his website at www.salayconsulting. com or email him at salayconsulting@ gmail.com.


www.manitobapost.com


the Starling Social team and I helped determine for a client, who runs a consulting agency specializing sales strategy and optimization: • CEO/Senior Sales Leaders • Ideal company/employee size: 200 - 1000 • At least 20 people on the sales team • At least 5 years in business • Over $50 million in revenue With this in mind, here are the assumptions we were able


to make about our readers when creating copy for this client: Tey’re not looking for “light” content. Tey’re seeking out


the best expertise in their field, which means applying a “data- driven approach” which uses data, surveys, and statistics to validate our claims whenever possible. Tey’re already familiar with industry terms. We don’t


need to explain what a CRM system is, for example, because these individuals will already be using - or at least be aware of - these abbreviations and terms. Tey’re at least somewhat tech-savvy. Or, they are inter-


ested in developing their knowledge in this area, and are relying on our content to point them in the right direction and help them define the tools and processes that will help them grow their business. Pivot as Needed


One of the most important aspects of a voice and tone docu-


ment is that it's not set in stone. Just as your business grows and changes, so too should the supporting documentation that keeps the wheels of your marketing machine on-brand behind-the-scenes. I recommend revisiting this document at least once annu-


ally (ideally during your year-end marketing review), but feel free to update as-needed. Do you have any social media or content marketing related


questions for me? Tweet at me at @alysonshane on Twitter or drop me a line at our website, www.starling.social.


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