Canada Poised to Lead Medical Marijuana Exports

Last Updated on Feb 6, 2018

Canada, likely to be second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana at a nationwide level, has become the frontrunner for medical marijuana exports. Although Health Canada claims it did not intend to position itself as the leader, it has continued to issue international exporting permits to its medical marijuana companies. Tilray began exporting medical marijuana in the form of liquid capsules to Croatia in June of 2016 with an export permit provided by Health Canada.

Some of the leading destinations for Canada’s medical marijuana exports include:

Tilray, Canopy Growth Corp., and Aphria are currently working with Australia’s scientific and commercial medical marijuana communities, such as Medlab Clinical Limited and AusCann Group Holdings. Australia legalized medical cannabis in 2016 with amendments to the country’s Narcotic Drugs Act of 1967. Australians can cultivate their own marijuana, but medical marijuana imports have been approved on a patient-by-patient basis since February of 2017. Australia’s own cultivation of cannabis has been delayed by strict government regulations, resulting in a limited supply of medicine for patients.

Bedrocan Canada, Inc., part of Canopy Growth Corporation (the world’s biggest public medical marijuana company), has recently formed a partnership with São Paolo’s Entourage Phytolab S.A. to create Bedrocan Brazil S.A. to begin medical marijuana exports to Brazil. This marijuana will be used in clinical studies per the Brazilian health agency, ANVISA. Entourage will import cannabis flower into Brazil for research and development from Canada and Bedrocan’s headquarters in the Netherlands.

Cannimed Therapeutics out of Saskatchewan exported 12,960 ml of medicinal cannabis oils to Professional Pharmacy Services in George Town, Cayman Islands in May, 2017. Pharmacies in the Cayman Islands are now dispensing the medication to patients with physician prescriptions for cannabis tinctures or extracts. Jamaica also exports medical cannabis oils to the Cayman Islands. People living in the Cayman Islands islands cannot cultivate their own cannabis, so they rely on their Canadian and Jamaican partners for medicinal cannabis. Insurance companies Cinico and Generali cover cannabis prescriptions in the Cayman Islands.

Canada’s Tilray has partnered with Alef Biotechnology SpA to provide medical  marijuana exports to Chile under license by the Chilean government. In Chile, where medical marijuana was legalized in 2015, physician recommendations allow patient access to medical marijuana products like Tilray’s T100 and TC100. Medical marijuana products were shipped in February of 2017 to pharmacies in Santiago and Brazil, and in May of 2017, the pharmacies began selling cannabis-based medicines at about $310 for a month’s worth of medicine. Although home grows are allowed, cultivators must have a permit from the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), and prosecution of people who cultivate cannabis at home is still relatively common.

In June of 2016, Tilray exported medical cannabis extracts  in the form of capsule-based CBD and THC pills to the country of Croatia. This was actually the first time in modern history that any medical marijuana exports were legally shipped to any country in the European Union. Liquid capsules are to follow and will be shipped at about a 1:1 ratio with the solid capsules according to the latest Tilray reports. Croatia quickly reviewed, passed, and implemented medical cannabis laws in 2015, making doctor prescriptions of cannabis teas, extracts, and topicals a reality for patients in the Balkan country. Smoking or vaporizing cannabis are both still illegal in Croatia.

In May 2017, Tilray announced it was working with the Cyprus Health Minister, Dr. George Pamboridis and government to begin importing a medicinal cannabis product called Tilray Drops. As of July 2017, a bill to legalize cultivation and medical cannabis imports was passed by the cabinet and sent to Cyprus’ Parliament. As of September, 2017 there has been no final decision. There would only be two cultivation licenses for medical cannabis available initially. Pamboridis stated an interest in foreign investment, especially with research and development of pharmaceutical cannabis products.

Germany legalized medical marijuana in May of 2016 with a state-regulated program, and allows doctors to prescribe to critically ill citizens, paid for by health insurance companies. Canopy Growth Corp. purchased MedCAnn GmbH, a pharmaceutical distributor with access to German pharmacies, and now has medical marijuana products in those locations. Toronto based  Maricann  was granted a 150,000-square-foot marijuana cultivation facility in Ebersbach, Germany (west of Dresden), which will produce medical marijuana products for German citizens authorized to consume it. Finally, Aurora of Alberta began German medical marijuana exports in September of 2017.

New Zealanders have been able to access Tilray products since back in 2016. CBD Max and Tilray products are available in New Zealand on about a 1:1 ratio, and in July of 2017, the New Zealand Drug Foundation (NZDF) called for a regulated cannabis market and decriminalization of all drugs for Kiwis. Associate Health Minister Pete Dunne announced that doctors in his country can prescribe three months worth of CBD for qualifying conditions like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis on June 2, 2017. On September 28, 2017, Tilray announced that its medical marijuana products have been exported to New Zealand and will be distributed through the country’s largest pharmaceutical distributor in the form of CBD and THC oils.

Canada’s CanniMed is hoping to see their medical marijuana oils sold in South Africa soon. CanniMed has signed a supply agreement with South Africa’s Akula Trading 2 Pty Ltd. to sell medical marijuana oils in South Africa once the South African Medicines Control Council (MCC) has approved guidelines for production and manufacturing of the plant. In 2017, South Africa’s high court determined that preventing South Africans from consuming or cultivating marijuana at home is unconstitutional. This means owning or using marijuana is still illegal, but the high court’s ruling provides some defense against prosecution. The measure still needs to be approved by the country’s Constitutional Court.

Canada’s medical marijuana companies have grown from tiny seeds to rambling acres of cultivation in the Great White North. Companies like Tilray, CanniMed, Canopy Growth/Bedrocan, and Aphria see no reason to let international borders stop their growth. Canada is currently the world leader for medical marijuana exports and they are just getting started.