Health Canada’s latest market statistics show patient enrollment in the federal medical cannabis program (MMPR) grew 110 per cent between January and August this year.
Shipments to registered patients across Canada increased 122 per cent, from 28,127 to 62,385, during the same eight-month period.
Ontario, with a population of nearly 14 million, accounted for more than half the shipments to patients with 34,757 in August.
Trailing Ontario in second place was Alberta with 12,986 shipments, up from 3,538 eight months earlier. The Wildrose province experienced the largest growth in shipments over that period – an eye-popping 267 per cent increase.
Rounding out the Top 5 at the end of August were Nova Scotia (2,860), New Brunswick (2,614) and British Columbia (2,534).
At first blush, it may seem odd that shipments to Alberta, the fourth most populous province with 4.3 million residents, outpaced those to Quebec, whose population nearly doubles Alberta’s, and British Columbia, which has long held the unofficial title as Canada’s pot oasis.
However, these figures make more sense when one considers Quebec’s regulations make it more difficult for physicians to prescribe marijuana, and that B.C. has a thriving underground market that includes an increasing number of dispensaries that provide a wider array of products for consumers to choose from than those offered under the federal program.
Licensed producers (LPs) sold 921 kilograms of dried marijuana and 66 kilograms of oil to registered clients in January. Sales steadily increased month over month to 1,685 kg of dried and 810 kg of oil at the end of August as the number of registered clients increased and as the number of approved LPs grew from 27 to 35.
Production of dried marijuana and cannabis oil rose, respectively, from 1,129 kg to 2,025 kg and 206 kg to 1,839 kg. Dried and oil inventories steadily increased to 13,096 kg and 3,380 kg by August 31.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Health Canada Data Show Medical Marijuana Shipments To Alberta Are Soaring
Author: Trevor Howell
Contact: 403-235-7100
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Website: Calgary Herald