What is the current state of the law regarding access to cannabis for medical purposes?

The ACMPR regime provides multiple avenues to access cannabis for medical purposes. Indeed, it provides medical cannabis patients with more options than any previous regime. Since Smith and Allard v. Canada, 2016 FC 236 were decided, the ACMPR now permits medical cannabis patients to both possess and produce cannabis derivatives and to purchase and possess cannabis oil. It also allows patients to designate others to produce derivatives for those patients with their cannabis. Also, unlike in Allard where patients could only purchase cannabis for medical purposes from licensed producers, the ACMPR permits patients to grow it for themselves or to designate a third party to grow it for them. The ACMPR permits all authorized patients nationwide to access cannabis for medical purposes. Access is not dependent on being located in or near a city centre or having access to transportation. Storefront access would not necessarily improve the plight of the homeless or those living in precarious housing since it would be impossible to provide enough storefronts in both urban and remote communities to provide practical access to this marginalized group.