Close X
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
ADVT 
National

Vets Lobby To Expand Medical Cannabis Laws To Include Dogs, Cats

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 May, 2019 05:40 PM

    OTTAWA — Parliament Hill is going to the dogs today as veterinarians lobby MPs to authorize the use of medical cannabis for critters.


    The vets are bringing five dogs to the Hill to draw attention to what they see as glaring omissions in the legalized regimes for medical and recreational marijuana.


    The law does not allow veterinarians to prescribe pot for pets, even though preliminary research suggests it could be beneficial in treating pain, seizures, anxiety and other disorders — much as it is for humans.


    Moreover, the law requires labels on cannabis products warning they be kept out of reach of children, but there's no similar warning that they could be harmful to animals.


    Dr. Sarah Silcox, president of the Canadian Association of Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine, says her group has been told the omissions were likely "an oversight" that can be considered when the legalized cannabis regime is reviewed in three years.


    But she wants more urgent action.


    "For our patients, they age much faster than we do and this really isn't an issue that can wait for a three-year review," Silcox said in an interview.


    Because vets can't legally prescribe cannabinoids for animals, or even offer advice to pet owners on the most suitable products or dosages, Silcox said some people are taking it upon themselves to administer cannabis to their pets. They're using products sold for human consumption or unregulated "black market" products marketed for animal use, but about which veterinarians have concerns about "safety and purity."


    "Veterinarians are able to prescribe almost any other drug, including things like fentanyl and other opioids and ... prescription drugs that contain cannabis derivatives and yet we're not able to authorize the use of cannabis itself," Silcox said.


    The prohibition on veterinary use of cannabinoids has made research into the potential benefits "challenging," but Silcox said preliminary studies suggest positive benefits for managing pain from arthritis and other conditions, epilepsy, anxiety and general inflammatory conditions.


    It is particularly useful for treating cats, who are more sensitive than dogs to the other pain medications currently used for animals, she said.


    Silcox's group and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association have lobbied the government to authorize veterinary use of cannabinoids. Silcox said they've been told by the policy adviser to Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor that it is not a priority at the moment, but can be considered when the Cannabis Act is reviewed in three years.


    However, Silcox noted the government is in the process of reviewing cannabis regulations now in preparation for adding edibles and oils to the list of legal products next year. It would take only a "few small changes" to add vets to the medical practitioners authorized to prescribe cannabinoids and to change references to people to patients, covering both the human and animal variety, she said.

     

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Kit And Ace Parts Ways With Wilson Family As Management Team Takes Over

    ancouver-based bike-friendly clothing brand says the wife and son of Lululemon Athletica Inc. founder Chip Wilson are no longer involved in the company that they created in 2014.

    Kit And Ace Parts Ways With Wilson Family As Management Team Takes Over

    Kelowna And Edmonton Set To Be 'Hot Spots' In Cannabis Real Estate: RE/MAX

    Kelowna And Edmonton Set To Be 'Hot Spots' In Cannabis Real Estate: RE/MAX
    Two Cities In Western Canada Named The Next Commercial Real Estate "Hot Spots" For The Cannabis Market

    Kelowna And Edmonton Set To Be 'Hot Spots' In Cannabis Real Estate: RE/MAX

    27 Squatters Arrested, Charged After Occupying Vacant School In Nanaimo, B.C.

    27 Squatters Arrested, Charged After Occupying Vacant School In Nanaimo, B.C.
    NANAIMO, B.C. — Twenty seven squatters who took over a boarded-up elementary school in Nanaimo, B.C., have been arrested and face charges.

    27 Squatters Arrested, Charged After Occupying Vacant School In Nanaimo, B.C.

    Auditor General Says B.C. Needs To Know More About Tax Breaks It Gives

    Auditor General Says B.C. Needs To Know More About Tax Breaks It Gives
    VICTORIA — British Columbia's auditor general says politicians need to pay more attention to the billions of dollars they provide every year in tax breaks to support government programs and policies.

    Auditor General Says B.C. Needs To Know More About Tax Breaks It Gives

    SUV Limo Crash Raises Safety Concerns But Industry Members Maintain They’re Safe

    SUV Limo Crash Raises Safety Concerns But Industry Members Maintain They’re Safe
    TORONTO — A deadly crash involving a stretched limousine-style SUV in New York state over the weekend has put a spotlight on safety concerns around the modified vehicles, but industry players maintain they're safe.

    SUV Limo Crash Raises Safety Concerns But Industry Members Maintain They’re Safe

    Canadian Club of Toronto Sends Notice Barring Reporters From Stephen Harper Speech

    Canadian Club of Toronto Sends Notice Barring Reporters From Stephen Harper Speech
    Harper was to address the Canadian Club of Toronto, which had previously invited reporters to cover the event.

    Canadian Club of Toronto Sends Notice Barring Reporters From Stephen Harper Speech