Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch: Licensing and Medical Access Directorate
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About
The Licensing and Medical Access Directorate in the Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch:
- is responsible for licences, permits and exemptions related to activities with cannabis and hemp under the Cannabis Act and its regulations
- manages the cannabis for medical purposes program, including the review of applications for the personal production of cannabis for medical purposes under the Cannabis Regulations
- provides client services for the branch, by responding to questions from licence holders, members of the public, and other stakeholders
Responsibilities
The directorate is responsible for:
- managing exemption processes
- overseeing client services for the cannabis program
- working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to obtain information to process security clearances
- processing applications for all licences under the Cannabis Regulations and the Industrial Hemp Regulations
- reviewing applications from individuals to produce cannabis for their own medical purposes or for someone else
Directorate and functions
The directorate's organizational structure includes the following units.
Director General's Office
The Director General's Office works closely with all the directorate's units and other director general's offices in the branch, to support the director general. The office includes a data team and a licensing policy team that provides policy advice and options to address issues relating to licensing and the cannabis for medical purposes program.
Licensing and Security Division
The Licensing and Security Division's responsibilities include reviewing commercial cannabis applications, security clearance applications and key investor reports. The division works directly with commercial cannabis licence holders by processing applications for licence amendments and licence renewals. It is also responsible for developing licensing stakeholder guidance.
Office of Medical Access and Specialized Authorizations
The Office of Medical Access and Specialized Authorizations reviews applications for:
- registration certificates
- industrial hemp licences
- cannabis or industrial hemp import or export permits
- personal production of cannabis for medical purposes
- exemption requests for medical or scientific purposes, or that are in the public interest
The office manages client services for the cannabis program:
- Client call centre: Responding to phone enquiries pertaining to cannabis
- Correspondence: Responding to questions and concerns received via e-mail pertaining to cannabis
- Police services: Providing information to law enforcement on active cannabis investigations
Contact us
Email: lmad.dgo-bdg.dlafm@hc-sc.gc.ca
For cannabis industry: Cannabis and industrial hemp contact information for licence holders, applicants and industry