Even before it opens this week, a storefront medical marijuana clinic in east London is attracting a steady stream of potential patients, its owner says.

“This clinic was built solely for this purpose. Londoners can think what they want, but people are coming in here like crazy. This is the first one in Canada but there’s going to be a lot more,” Dr. John Craven said.

He will start assessing patients Wednesday at the Options Health Care clinic at 790 Dundas St.

Since the clinic’s opening was announced two weeks ago, people interested in obtaining permission to use medical marijuana for a variety of ailments have been dropping in, Craven said.

Coun. Stephen Orser is a strong supporter of the clinic that’s in his ward. The clinic is a secure, professional facility and will be “a flagship for better health flying here in London,” he said.

Medical marijuana offers a safe alternative to addictive opiate drugs, and the clinic will cut down on street trafficking and the break-ins and fires associated with home-based marijuana grow-ops, Orser said.

“I don’t see people on medical marijuana robbing garages or injecting in alleys. . . . This is a well-thought out solution recognized by federal law.”

The clinic had some startup delays and was only taking contact information, but Craven said he’s ready to give patients authorizations to order medical marijuana from commercial producers.

Health Canada anticipates most medical marijuana will be delivered to patients directly by registered mail, but pickup at a medical clinic is allowed

One medical marijuana user, who only wanted to be identified as Jay, said having a secure, private place for patients to pick up their product is much needed.

Jay, 39, was outed as a prescription pot user at his former apartment building after the letter carrier left a letter from Health Canada on top of his mailbox because it wouldn’t fit inside.

“It says ‘Medicinal Marijuana Access Program.’ There’s a dead giveaway. Next thing I know my lock gets popped off my mailbox.”

Craven doesn’t expect patients will be able to pick up their marijuana at the clinic until mid-June because the newly licensed producers are scrambling to build their supply.

He has already issued authorizations to use medical marijuana for 120 clients of Clinic 528, a methadone clinic at 528 Dundas. St. where he’s been an associate director for 12 years. Craven said medical marijuana could replace addictive prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin,

A referral from a family doctor is not necessary but patients at the clinic have to provide documentation of their condition.

Typical patients are 30- to 60-years-old with mild to moderate pain, anxiety and sleep problems who don’t want to use prescription pills, Craven said.

After years at the methadone clinic, he said he’s confident the new facility can handle the pent-up demand.

“I’ve been dealing with ‘swamped’ for the last 12 years.”

With files from Free Press reporter Dale Carruthers

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MEDICAL MARIJUANA

On April 1, new federal regulations shifted medical marijuana production to large commercial operators. A ban on personal cultivation is held up, pending a court challenge.

OPTIONS HEALTH CARE