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Shoppers online cannabis store available in seven more provinces

Shoppers Drug Mart has expanded its ecommerce platform to launch the sale of medical cannabis for British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.

First launched in Ontario in January 2019 and then in Alberta in April 2019, Medical Cannabis by Shoppers provides patients access to a number of products from Canadian licensed producers, shipped directly and discreetly to their doorstep.

“Canadians continue to use cannabis for medical purposes but many have been left behind by traditional models. Patients need more convenient access to their medicine with professional oversight and trusted support,” said Shoppers Drug Mart president Jeff Leger in a statement on Dec. 3. “We expanded Medical Cannabis by Shoppers nationally to provide enhanced service to more patients so they can feel empowered to access medical cannabis through the medical market with the guidance of healthcare professionals.”

The online platform also provides support through the Shoppers cannabis care centre, a call centre staffed by professionals who offer counselling and support for patients. Patients can obtain their medical document (authorization from a health care practitioner) directly from shoppersdrugmart.ca/cannabis or bring it to their local Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy to help process the information.

For patients who do not have access to a healthcare practitioner, Shoppers Clinic Finder can connect patients to a licensed physician or nurse practitioner to assess whether a patient is an ideal candidate for medical cannabis.

Specialized advisors from the Shoppers cannabis care centre will then contact patients, review their medical history and any contraindications with current medications, and provide support with online registration and strain selection. Under current regulations, pharmacists cannot dispense medical cannabis from a pharmacy.

Education for pharmacists is supported by the Shoppers Drug Mart Medical Advisory Board, a panel of independent medical experts from across the country who provide guidance and advice on new clinical evidence, and have developed clinical algorithms to help the Shoppers cannabis care advisors select the correct strain based on the prescriber’s recommendation.