Nova Scotians are now able to order medical cannabis online through Shoppers Drug Mart.
As of Tuesday, Nova Scotians and residents across Canada can shop for products through the pharmacy giant’s website and have it mailed to them.
A medical cannabis prescription is required for purchase. A prescription can be obtained from a health-care professional or by using Telemedicine, a video consultation done online by a licenced health-care practitioner, if deemed appropriate for the patient.
In Nova Scotia, roughly 15,000 people get their medical cannabis legally, but the patient population is suspected to be much larger, according to Health Canada.
Under current regulations, pharmacists can’t dispense medical cannabis from a pharmacy.
“Canadians continue to use cannabis for medical purposes but many have been left behind by traditional models,” Jeff Leger, president of Shoppers Drug Mart, said in a news release.
“Patients need more convenient access to their medicine with professional oversight and trusted support.”
Patients can buy capsules, oil and dried cannabis online from 12 cannabis producers that have signed supply and quality agreements with Shoppers.
The products will then be shipped “discreetly” to their door.
The online platform, which launched in Ontario in January and Alberta in April,
Support for patients will also be made at a call centre staffed by professionals who will offer counselling and support for cannabis patients.
