Parliament Hill went to the dogs Wednesday as veterinarians lobbied MPs to authorize the use of medical cannabis for critters.
The vets brought five dogs to the Hill to draw attention to what they see as glaring omissions in the legalized regimes for medical and recreational marijuana.
Among them was Max Pugsley, a pug rescue with such severe separation anxiety that he is on Prozac.
B次元官网网址淚t works really well but ideally we could have some kind of CBD (cannabidiol) product rather than some pharmaceutical like Prozac,B次元官网网址� said MaxB次元官网网址檚 owner, Matthew Trapp.
B次元官网网址淐BD is shown to have great results but I canB次元官网网址檛 even talk to my vet about it.B次元官网网址�
The law does not allow veterinarians to prescribe pot for pets, even though preliminary research and anecdotal evidence suggests it could be beneficial in treating pain, seizures, anxiety and other disorders B次元官网网址� much as it is for humans.
Moreover, the law requires labels on cannabis products warning they be kept out of reach of children, but thereB次元官网网址檚 no similar warning that they could be harmful to animals.
Dr. Sarah Silcox, president of the Canadian Association of Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine, said her group has been told the omissions were likely B次元官网网址渁n oversightB次元官网网址� that can be considered when the legalized cannabis regime is reviewed in three years.
But she wants more urgent action.
B次元官网网址淔or our patients, they age much faster than we do and this really isnB次元官网网址檛 an issue that can wait for a three-year review,B次元官网网址� Silcox said in an interview.
Because vets canB次元官网网址檛 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. TheyB次元官网网址檙e using products sold for human consumption or unregulated B次元官网网址渂lack marketB次元官网网址� products marketed for animal use, but about which veterinarians have concerns about B次元官网网址漵afety and purity.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淰eterinarians are able to prescribe almost any other drug, including things like fentanyl and other opioids and B次元官网网址� prescription drugs that contain cannabis derivatives and yet weB次元官网网址檙e not able to authorize the use of cannabis itself,B次元官网网址� Silcox said.
The prohibition on veterinary use of cannabinoids has made research into the potential benefits B次元官网网址渃hallenging,B次元官网网址� 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, which are more sensitive than dogs to the other pain medications currently used for animals, she said.
SilcoxB次元官网网址檚 group and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association have lobbied the government to authorize veterinary use of cannabinoids. Silcox said theyB次元官网网址檝e been told by the policy adviser to Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor that it is not a priority at the moment, but could be considered when the Cannabis Act is reviewed in three years.
However, Silcox noted the government is reviewing cannabis regulations now in preparation for adding edibles and oils to the list of legal products this fall. It would take only a B次元官网网址渇ew small changesB次元官网网址� 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.
Border Security Minister Bill Blair, who was the governmentB次元官网网址檚 point man on cannabis legalization, said the government is willing to talk to veterinarians about the issue but added: B次元官网网址淚 think the research needs to be perhaps more fully developed to make sure it can be done in a safe and healthy way.B次元官网网址�
But Dr. Ian Sandler, a veterinarian who was among those lobbying MPs Wednesday, said cannabinoids are already being administered unsafely to pets, without veterinary guidance, and he predicted the problem will get worse once edibles are legalized for people.
B次元官网网址淚f thatB次元官网网址檚 implemented, we know from the U.S. that weB次元官网网址檙e going to see a profound increase in inappropriate ingestion,B次元官网网址� he said.
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Joan Bryden , The Canadian Press
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