Jonathan Zaid, a 22 year old third year student at the University of Waterloo, has recently begun making waves in the Canadian cannabis world by announcing he was able to get his medical marijuana costs covered by his studentmedical insurance plan.

Insurance coverage for medical marijuana is becoming a major health cost issue in Canada, as it is not generally covered by most private health insurance plans. Medical marijuana is regulated under different legislation than otherdrugs. This makes it impossible to have a Drug Identification Number (DIN), something which insurance companies typically look for when considering coverage. Furthermore, it is not dispensed through pharmacies in the same way that other prescriptions are controlled. Medical marijuana is regulated under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) whereas typical prescription drugs are regulated under the Food and Drug Act.

Normally, if an individual is prescribed medication in Canada, private medical and/or provincial health insurance will routinely cover the majority of the costs. If that same person has a “medical document” and orders medical marijuana from one of Canada’s federally licensed and regulated producers, they...