Cannabis for Medical Purposes (CMP) Program

When physicians are employed by cannabis clinics merely to act as “authorizers,” the physician-patient relationship can be undermined.

Physicians who work in cannabis clinics must comply with the standards of practice: Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Responsibility for a Medical Practice, Advertising, Patient Record Retention and Conflict of Interest and should be aware of their responsibilities before entering into this type of arrangement.
Individual physicians are responsible for:

• processes used to interview and counsel patients;
• advertising about the indications for medical cannabis;
• information provided about the products;
• clinic fees for providing services; and
• the accurate and secure documentation of the patient record.

If a physician cannot influence the factors above to comply with the standards of practice, s/he should not practice in this clinical setting.

Depending on the patient’s situation, medical history and clinical condition, the appropriate follow-up interval may vary from patient to patient.

It is expected that physicians will assess risks for development of a cannabis use disorder at baseline and continue to monitor for this and safety of ongoing medical cannabis use periodically, at least once every six months. Refer to CPSA’s Cannabis for medical purposes standard of practice and related Advice document for more information.