Pubdate: Sat, 03 Aug 2002
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2002 The Calgary Sun
Contact:  http://www.fyicalgary.com/calsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Michael Wood, Calgary Sun
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

WEED PERMITS GROWING

More sick and terminally-ill Canadians are blowing off traditional 
treatments, instead growing their own government-sanctioned medicine 
through new marijuana laws.

Since July 30, 2001, when Health Canada introduced new access regulations 
allowing ailing Canadians to smoke dope, 315 new patients have been granted 
authorization.

That's almost one permit issued per day.

"(The numbers) keep going up every month," said Health Canada spokesman 
Andrew Swift.

In June, 15 Canadians were granted permits to smoke weed, while 44 new 
patients signed on in May.

Prior to the new laws, Canadians had to apply for exemption from criminal 
prosecution under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Some 472 people 
still remain permitted to toke under those laws, bringing the total number 
of permitted pot users to 786.

Of those, 208 are plying their own weed-green thumbs with personal 
production licences.

Swift credited the new regulations for allowing more Canadians faster 
access to medicinal marijuana than was possible under the old regime.

"It's a system that's working very well," Swift said.

Meanwhile, Prairie Plant Systems, the Saskatchewan-based outfit growing 
marijuana crops for federal research, is cultivating several strains of weed.

What is cultivated from those will be shipped to scientists hunting for the 
best suitable strain for public consumption, but Swift said that could 
still take months.
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MAP posted-by: Tom