Issue
Growing poppies for medicinal use constitutes a thriving industry in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia, but not in Canada. This not only presents an economic diversification opportunity for Southern Alberta’s agricultural sector, offering long term employment and growth opportunities for this and numerous other industries, but would provide Canada with a homegrown source of vital medications.
Background
Poppies can be used to produce prescription drugs such as morphine and codeine. In addition, an Alberta-based firm has patented a strain of thebaine poppy which produces no morphine, but is essential for the production of life-saving medicines including naloxone, suboxone, and buprenorphine, which are used for overdose protection and addiction recovery programs.
Recommendations
That the Government of Alberta:
- Communicate the importance of the thebaine industry to the Government of Canada; and
- Engage, invest in and provide support to this new emerging industry as part of the long- term strategy for Alberta’s economic diversification, including:
a. Investigating artificial synthesized alternatives; and,
b. Providing incentives to encourage the industry to locate and remain in Alberta.
That the Government of Canada
- Support the creation of a new pharmaceutical industry by recognizing the potential of farming and processing of high-level thebaine poppy in Canada; and,
- That applications be expeditiously reviewed and approved by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to help diversify the economy.
