Health Committee on Sept. 15th, 2017

[Jacqueline Bogden]

Perhaps what I would offer for the committee is that while cannabis for medical purposes has been used, as the other panellists acknowledged, for a very long time, the regulated system of access that we have in place in Canada was created only at the very end of 2013. So we are three years in to the establishment and to growing and developing a licensed industry that's capable of producing quality-controlled cannabis. I think it's reasonable to appreciate that it will take a bit more time. As other panellists have indicated, licensed producers have, in their own right, been funding research in conjunction with universities across the country. We do have close to 12 universities that are undertaking research, preclinical, clinical, and other research, in the area of cannabis for medical purposes.

It's emerging. It's starting. Perhaps we can give it time to see if it will succeed. The process we have in place for approval of drugs works.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Your time is up.

That completes our first round of seven minutes. We'll now go to a round of five minutes, and we're going to start with Ms. Gladu.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thank you to all of our witnesses. I'm well acquainted with the excellent controls in the medical cannabis regime.

I have a question for Ms. Bogden.

We had a witness last night allege that, because of the way we've implemented medical marijuana in Canada, it is causing us to violate three international treaties. Is that even true?

[Jacqueline Bogden]

I'll acknowledge, of course, that Canada is signatory to three international conventions, is quite aware of our obligations, and takes those obligations quite seriously. With this new legislation, I think the government made it pretty clear that its intention is to put public health and safety first. That's why it's seeking to put in place a new, more effective control framework.

We recognize, of course, that there will be questions raised about our international obligations. I think our focus right now at this point in time, given that the legislation has only been introduced and that this study has just begun in Parliament, which is an important part of our democratic process, is on reaching out to those international partners, explaining the content of the legislation, what the government's objectives are, and what it is that we're seeking to do so it is well understood.

I think that we're also trying to help our partners understand the situation that exists in Canada today in terms of youth use, in terms of the illegal market and what that represents, and that is, I think, the focus of our efforts at this point in time.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Okay. So you don't think we're out of compliance now, that it's just a question of whether the legislation will complicate that.

[Jacqueline Bogden]

I'm not the best person to.... It's not my background to express an opinion or advise you on whether we are or we aren't in compliance at this point.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Let me switch gears, then.

One of the things that we've heard consistently is that we need to have public awareness and education on cannabis and on its impacts, and it should be directed at parents and at youth. What is the current status of the development of the public awareness program within the Department of Health in the rollout?

[Jacqueline Bogden]

Proactive public education and awareness activities are very important, and the government considers that a central feature of its approach to protecting health and safety and minimizing the risk of cannabis use. That's why the government made an initial investment of $9.6 million in the most recent budget, so that we could begin those public education and awareness activities now.

A significant focus of our efforts at this point in time is to reach out to young people, to parents of young people, and to others who influence them to encourage them to have conversations about the risks of cannabis use and the dangers to their safety of driving or driving with others who might be impaired.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Are there specific programs? Are there specific packages people can access?

[Jacqueline Bogden]

Sure. One good example, which you might have heard about earlier this week, would be from Drug Free Kids Canada. Health Canada has been working with them. They produced a quite excellent guide for parents.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Yes, we heard about them. They've gone to 100,000, I think, parents to do that.

[Jacqueline Bogden]

Yes, they have.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

What about the young people, the education for them?

[Jacqueline Bogden]

We have produced a number of information pieces for them that are available on our website. We've been promoting that through social media since last January with a very high take-up rate through all of the ways that we can. Kids like to get their information on their mobile devices. We're very cognizant that we need to do that. We're in the midst of preparing some educational videos now that would be available on YouTube, which is also another way—

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Excellent.

[Jacqueline Bogden]

—that kids really like to be able to get that kind of information.

We are really being focused on presenting the facts. We've done some public opinion research on young people and how they like to get information. They really want to have the facts and make up their own minds. They don't want preachy messages. We're going to make every effort to engage youth in the further development of our campaign.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Okay, very good. Thanks.

I have one last question, and this one I think is for Ms. Black.

One of the concerns I have is that when recreational cannabis becomes legal, it looks to me like the same situation will happen as when pharmaceutical drugs, which used to be behind the counter, end up being available in all the pharmacies anywhere, and health benefit companies quit covering them. Do you think there is a potential for that to happen with medical cannabis?

[Hilary Black]

I'm afraid I don't totally understand your question, because cannabis doesn't currently have any coverage. Can you reframe the question for me so I can try to do a better job of answering it?

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

This is news to me. No health benefit company will reimburse?

[Hilary Black]

There are very few. Jonathan is a bit more of an expert in that. A small handful of patients across the country have managed to advocate for themselves to acquire cost coverage for their medical cannabis, but it's very rare. This is why a lot of the recommendations that Jonathan and I are both making are to make systematic changes, including my suggestion that the federal government include medical cannabis in the health plan for its own employees as a leadership initiative. This is one of the greatest struggles patients are facing. Two federal employees in the room today are going massively into debt and looking at remortgaging their homes to be able to acquire the amount of medicine they need.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

That's very good. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bill Casey]

Thank you very much.

We'll now go to Ms. Sidhu.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Ms. Bogden, you said that cannabis could be classified as a therapeutic product with a drug identification number if a business applies. Is it a hard process to apply for? We heard from witnesses earlier that there is an educational certificate when they are doing it. Is there a system set up for them when they are applying for that licence? I imagine more companies might be willing to do so. Is educating for the...?

[Jacqueline Bogden]

Do you mean on how to apply to market a drug in Canada?

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Yes, when they are applying for that licence.