TRURO, N.S.
About 10 years ago, Marcel Gignac was told he had progressive relapsing multiple sclerosis, and was advised to get his affairs in order. Today, he’s feeling good and lives an active life, which he credits to medical marijuana.
“Most of the neurological damage has been repaired,” he said. “I still have MS, but I don’t have progression or relapses now.”
Gignac, who has developed products sold through KannaBliss Technologies, will be talking about the history, legalities and ways to use cannabis, during an information session hosted by Truro Medicine Shoppe.
He’s been a licenced medical marijuana patient since 2009, but he did a lot of his own research to determine what type would work best for him. In turn, this led to research on what would work for others.
“Cannabis is an amazing medicine that can be used for so many conditions,” he said. “I know for a fact that there are many people who would benefit from it but their doctors won’t prescribe it. The doctors haven’t had the training and don’t understand the benefits.
“I don’t tell anyone cannabis is going to cure anything, but it can improve quality of life, especially if you have an illness.”
He believes many people are using cannabis illegally because they can’t get a prescription.
One of his concerns for the future is that licenced producers will focus on the recreational market and there will be a lack of supply for the medical market.
Medicine Shoppe Pharmacist Lennie Walser decided to organize the medical marijuana information session because customers were often questioning him about it.
“With the upcoming change in legislation, there’s a lot of confusion about what is, and will be legal,” he said. “We need to clarify the difference between medical and recreational patients.
“I believe there’s a lot of evidence that it’s helping people. I don’t believe it’s a cure for everything, but it’s another tool in the toolbox. If people are suffering from pain and anxiety and no conventional therapies are working, it makes sense to look into this as an option.”
He feels it would make sense to have medical marijuana available through pharmacies; that said, he adds pharmacies wouldn’t have to be the only businesses where product could be purchased.
“People need to be more educated about this,” added Gignac. “Cannabis really is amazing and it should not be the last choice of medicine.”
The free information session on medical marijuana will be held at the Holiday Inn on April 29, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Those who attend will have the opportunity to field questions.
