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Medical-marijuana users might want to brush up on their gardening skills.

That's because effective today, Canadians can grow their own medicinal cannabis. But they'll have to register with Health Canada and have authorization from their doctor before they can do this legally.

"In general, every one (1) gram of dried marijuana authorized will result in the production of five (5) plants indoors or two (2) plants outdoors," Health Canada states on its website. "Individuals must indicate in their application whether they intend to produce marijuana plants indoors, outdoors, or partial indoors/partial outdoors. Individuals seeking to produce outdoors must confirm that the production site is not adjacent to a school, public playground, daycare or other public place mainly frequented by children."

The federal government introduced new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations in the wake of the Allard ruling in the Federal Court of Canada.

The Allard decision found that the requirement to buy from licensed producers violated medical-marijuana users charter right to life, liberty, and security because it prevented them from having "reasonable access".

Medical-marijuana users can still legally buy their cannabis from licensed producers. Users can also jump through regulatory hoops to have a third party grow marijuana on their behalf.

"If an individual chooses to designate another individual to produce a limited amount of cannabis for him/her, he/she must submit an application to register with Health Canada (similar to if the individual was to produce it him/herself, but with information from the designated person)," Health Canada advises. "An original medical document from the health care practitioner and a declaration by the designated person, including information such as the location of where cannabis will be produced and stored, must be provided. The designated person must include a document issued by a Canadian police force proving the individual has not been convicted or received a sentence for a designated drug offence within the 10 previous years. A designated person can only produce for a maximum of two individuals including him/herself."