Cannabis starting materials and interim supply

Learn how to access plants and seeds to start producing a limited amount of cannabis for your own medical purposes. Also learn how you can access an interim supply of cannabis.

On this page

• Starting materials
• Interim supply
• For more information

Starting materials

Once you have a registration certificate issued by Health Canada, you can order marijuana plants and/or seeds from a licensed producer. This is the only legal source of supply.

You will need to register with a licensed producer to order these starting materials. When you are registering, you will use a copy of your Health Canada-issued registration certificate in place of a medical document.

Even if you have a person designated to produce for you, you, as the registered person, must register with the licensed producer and order the plants and/or seeds. Plants and seeds can only be shipped to the address identified on your registration certificate as your:

• production site
• storage site

Your registration certificate will show the total number of plants you are allowed to produce. The total number of plants you order from a licensed producer cannot be more than the number authorized on your registration certificate.

If you want to order seeds, you may order 3 marijuana seeds for each authorized plant. For example, if you are authorized to produce 5 plants, you may purchase a maximum of 15 seeds.

You can order plants and seeds more than once. If your crop is not successful, you can place another order with the same licensed producer for more plants or seeds. You cannot have more plants at your site than the number identified on your registration certificate.

Interim supply

You, as a registered person, can register with a licensed producer for an interim supply:

• while you wait for your plants to mature
• before your supply of cannabis is ready for you to use

This interim supply could include:

• fresh marijuana
• dried marijuana
• cannabis oil

You can also get this interim supply if something goes wrong with your production, such as crop failure. To get an interim supply, you will need to register with a licensed producer. You will use a copy of your Health Canada-issued registration certificate in place of a medical document to register. You may only register with one licensed producer to obtain interim supply.

When you are accessing interim supply you must make sure you have no more cannabis than you are allowed to possess. This includes the interim supply and any cannabis you may have already produced.

You are allowed to possess up to a 30-day supply of dried marijuana, or its equivalent. Your maximum amount is based on what your health care practitioner has recommended, unless it’s more than 150 grams. You are not allowed to possess more than 150 grams of dried marijuana, or its equivalent.

For more information

• Getting cannabis for medical purposes from a licensed producer
• List of licensed producers
• Information for people registered or designated to produce cannabis for medical purposes
• Registration application form
• Guidance document: completing the registration application form
• Safety and security considerations
• Calculator for the production of a limited amount of cannabis
• Understanding the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations