Frequently Asked Questions
Current Topics
1. About Marihuana
2. About Health Canada's Medical Marihuana Access Regulations Program
3. About Medme Services
ABOUT MARIHUANA
What is medical marihuana?
Medical marihuana is from the cannabis plant and is used as a physician-recommended drug to give relief from a number of different ailments. Marihuana tends to be prescribed to treat symptoms such as nausea, appetite loss, or chronic pain.
How does medical marihuana work?
Medical Marihuana is a prescription drug whose active ingredients are called cannabinoids (these include THC, CBD and CBN). Neurons are activated when cannabinoids bind to the neuron receptors. Cannabinoids affect pain transmission and specifically interact with the brain's endogenous opioid system, an important system for the medical treatment of pain.
What is the difference between Sativa and Indica?
There are two types of marihuana; Sativa and Indica. The terms Sativa and Indica designate what lineage a marihuana strain has, and almost all strains have at least small amounts of both Sativa and Indica properties. Sativas are tall, thin plants, that typically have a higher THC content than CBD count. This means these strains can have a stimulating, uplifting effect and can increase focus. Indicas are short dense plants that can act as a sedative and a more powerful analgesic. Indicas also can contribute to mood enhancement and anxiety reduction.
Can I take marihuana with other medications?
Some medications, opiates in particular, have proven to last longer and be more effective when combined with marihuana, however people undergoing multiple drug therapy or who are taking highly protein-bound medications should be cautious. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist about any pharmaceutical combinations before experimenting.
Where should I store my medical marihuana?
You should store marihuana in a cool, secure place. Keep it out of reach of children.
How do you take medical marihuana?
Smoking is not the recommended method of administering medical marihuana; however, most of our clients smoke their medication. For patients concerned about the toxic and carcinogenic substances in smoke, there are other options such as oral ingestion and nonsmoking inhalation.
How long will it take for medical marihuana to work?
After administering your medication by inhalation, you will feel immediate effects. Marihuana takes a varying amount of time to take effect when it is ingested.
Who should not take medical marihuana?
You should not take medical marihuana if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, planning to get pregnant, or if you are allergic to any cannabinoid. Talk to your doctor if you have a history of heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other disease of the airways. If you have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or dependence, or if you have a history of a serious mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, consult your physician.
What are the side effects of marihuana?
For Sativa dominant strains patients may notice an increase in energy levels, increased focus and subjective changes in consciousness. For Indica dominant strains there are side effects such as drowsiness and decreased focus. Although euphoria is the more frequent effect of smoking marihuana, undesirable mood reactions can occur. Usually these adverse reactions occur in inexperienced users after large doses of smoked or oral marihuana. The effects usually disappear within hours and can be countered with reassurance and a supportive environment. Smoking marihuana has many of the same risks as smoking tobacco. It is important to consider the increased risk of lung disease when choosing to smoke your medication.
How often should I take marihuana and how much should I take each time?
Talk to your doctor about your dosage. He or she will give you a daily limit which will be printed on your MMAR card. According to Health Canada, for medical purposes most individuals use on average one to three grams of dried marihuana daily. If you are just starting to use marihuana, you should try a small dose and increase it slowly until you reach a comfortable daily dose.
Can you overdose on marihuana?
There have been no known deaths due to marihuana overdose; however, only use as much as your doctor has prescribed for your daily amount. Symptoms of overdose are sleepiness, confusion, clumsiness, fainting, vertigo, dry mouth and fast, slow or pounding heartbeat. However, these symptoms can occur when you first start using marihuana. Make sure that when you first start taking marihuana that you start with very small doses. If troublesome symptoms persist, call your doctor or go to the hospital.
MMAR CARDS
Who is eligible?
In order to be one of our clients, you must have your MMAR card. This means you have Health Canada’s approval to possess medical marihuana. For more information on the application process see Becoming a Client.
How do I approach my doctor about medical marihuana?
This has been a common concern for our clients. For in depth advice on how to approach your doctor, see Approaching Your Doctor.
Is marihuana legal?
Access to medical marihuana is granted for medical purposes only. Marihuana is an illegal and controlled substance, and unlawful possession is a criminal offence.
If I'm providing you with a D form, why am I not getting my marihuana for free or at a discount?
You may have heard that there are compassion clubs, dispensaries and other private companies that will offer you discounts or free marihuana in exchange for you making them your designated grower with Health Canada. The reason these organizations are able to afford doing this, is because they will give you the small amount of marihuana you need (typically not the best quality) and they then sell the rest of what they grow on the black market. If your card is ever associated with the sales of marihuana on the black market your card will automatically be revoked and you will not be able to apply for a new one.
Additionally, the grower you are giving your card to cannot pay taxes on something he's not changing you for. The tax man will most likely ask questions at some point or another.
If you have provided MedMe with a D form specifically to be linked with one of our designated growers, 100% of the marihuana that that grower is growing is being used by you and by other MedMe clients. None of it is going out onto the black market.
All of MedMe's growers pay taxes on the income associated with the sale of marihuana to our company.
ABOUT MEDME SERVICES
What is the difference between ordering from your company and Health Canada?
We adhere to Health Canada's MMAR program, however we do not produce the same marihuana that Health Canada produces. We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the highest quality medication and offer a number of different strains to best suit their needs.
Where is the marihuana grown?
Our product is produced on Vancouver Island, BC.
Can I buy directly from your store in Victoria, BC?
We do not have a storefront from which to sell product. We only deliver via courier.
What is the cost?
We sell in 15 gram units and our price is $82.50 per unit plus taxes* and shipping fees.
We offer guaranteed, door to door delivery through Canada Post Xpresspost.
*Current taxes per province are as follows:
Alberta, Manitoba, PEI, Quebec, Saskatchewan and The Yukon : 5%
Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Ontario : 13%
BC : 12%
Nova Scotia : 15%
The cost of your medication including the taxes can be used towards your medical expense claim on your personal income tax return.
Is MedMe a compassion club?
We differ from other compassion clubs in that we go through the Health Canada MMAR program and require all our members to acquire an MMAR card.
What strains do you have available?
We are always working on our production sites in order to offer consistent strains. Currently, we offer a variety of strains and we try to always have at least one dominant Indica and one dominant Sativa on hand.