Cannabis oil, fresh marijuana now available in wake of top court decision

The Canadian Press  Published Wednesday, July 8, 2015 12:38PM EDT 
OTTAWA -- Medical marijuana users can legally consume other forms of the drug beyond the traditional dried version under new Health Canada rules that follow a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada. The department says licensed medicinal marijuana producers can now produce and sell cannabis oil and fresh marijuana buds and leaves as well as the dried form.But they'll have to comply with the same terms and conditions on dried marijuana including making sure the product is shipped in child-resistant packaging as well limiting the amount of the active ingredient in the drug. Health Canada says while the courts require reasonable access to a legal source of medical marijuana, the government's position is that it must be done in a controlled fashion to protect public health and safety. The directive expanding access is the government's response to the top court ruling in June ruling that expanded access to the drug.Federal regulations said that authorized users of physician-prescribed cannabis could only consume dried marijuana. But the court said limiting medical consumption to dried pot infringed the liberty protections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.