KITCHENER — A medical cannabis clinic is opening in Kitchener next month to assess patients interested in the treatment.

Kitchener is a prime spot for Canadian Cannabis Clinics' newest clinic in Ontario as one of the largest unserved markets, said director Ronan Levy.

The new clinic will open on Glasgow Street, near Fischer-Hallman Street, in mid-September. While there can be some concern about this type of operation, Levy said, "we're just a doctor's office."

No cannabis will be sold or stocked on site.

Canadian Cannabis Clinics already operates six clinics across the province, seeing 4,000 patients since the first opened a year ago in St. Catharines. Then they added locations in Toronto, Etobicoke, London, Windsor and Ottawa.

The Kitchener clinic is expected to have 1,500 to 2,000 patients.

"There's a lot of need," Levy said. "Cannabis is something most doctors don't want anything to do with."

Medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001. Rules changed last year about the process for obtaining a permit, along with procuring the cannabis.

Before a patient would go to their family doctor and together they'd put in an application to Health Canada. Then suddenly prescribing became solely the responsibility of the physician with little consultation, Levy said.

"Doctors were not so pleased about that."

People who are now prescribed medical cannabis must get it through a licensed producer, while before they could grow it themselves, get someone to do it for them or buy from a producer.

Levy said some family doctors are open to prescribing medical cannabis, while others say they are not opposed but don't know enough or are not interested. Because there's not the same rigorous study and evidence as with mainstream pharmaceuticals, there can be hesitance among some medical professionals.

The clinic's goal is to "make it easy and safe and comfortable" for patients by connecting them with doctors who are comfortable and knowledgeable.

Cannabis is not a first step in treatment, Levy stressed.

Patients who come into the clinic must show proof of their diagnosis and that they've tried other medications. All patients are screened before seeing doctor to ensure they're suitable candidates.

"We want to see that you actually tried conventional treatment options before you come to us for cannabis," Levy said.

People will be asked for a referral from their family doctor, along with supporting health documents. If a person's doctor is unwilling to offer a referral, then the patient can sign a release form for the clinic to access medical records.

Typically patients come in for one appointment and leave the clinic with all the paperwork done, and later the producer gets in touch with them.

"We try to make it as seamless an experience as possible for patients," said Levy, one of four founders of the business.

Then there are followup appointments every three months to ensure there are no side-effects and the treatment is effective.

There's no fee to see a doctor because the appointment is covered by OHIP. Patients who get a prescription also get free in-clinic counselling. A counsellor will give general education about cannabis, teach the patient how to use a vaporizer and help with strain selection for the optimal benefit.

Levy said cannabis can be a huge benefit to people who are suffering from chronic pain or other debilitating conditions and found no relief with conventional medicine.

"It's helping a lot of people quite profoundly," Levy said. "It has quite literally been life-saving for some of our patients."

The Kitchener clinic's number is 226-680-0779. Find out more at www.cannabisclinics.ca.