Dispensaries and LPs have the same goals, and the ideal system would include them both. They need to stop attacking each other and work on cooperating more...

The proliferation and general acceptance of over-the-counter cannabis dispensaries in Vancouver, Toronto, and elsewhere, is a sign that Canada has been ready for full cannabis legalization for quite some time. Canadians understand that using, growing, processing, and even selling cannabis – medical or otherwise – is neither inherently deviant nor immoral.

Cannabis itself is in its own category as a substance: more akin to natural health products than pharmaceuticals or narcotics, and immensely safer than alcohol or tobacco. It is a versatile plant-medicine that grows beautifully in home gardens and commercial greenhouses alike. Yet Ottawa’s official medical cannabis program, the MMPR – with its genuinely world-class quality controls, federal oversight, and economic advantages – remains crippled by over-regulation. 

Licensed Producers under the MMPR are currently prohibited...