Pubdate: Tue, 10 Sep 2002
Source: Ha'aretz (Israel)
Copyright: 2002sHa'aretz Daily Newspaper Ltd.
Contact:  http://www3.haaretz.co.il/eng/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/807
Author: Itim News Service

CANCER PATIENT ALLOWED TO USE MARIJUANA, BUT CAN'T GET IT LEGALLY

An Eilat resident who received permission from the Health Ministry to use 
marijuana for medicinal purposes is nevertheless unable to obtain the drug 
without breaking the law.

The man, who suffers from cancer, is one of eight terminal patients who 
received an unusual ministry permit to grow, possess and use marijuana to 
ease their pain.

But the drug is not legally available in Israel, and the ministry refused 
to supply them itself. Furthermore, the permit to grow the drug applies 
only to the patient himself rather than to his wife - and the bedridden 
terminal patient is physically incapable of doing so. The Eilat patient's 
wife even tried asking the police to give her husband some of the marijuana 
they had confiscated during drug raids, but they also refused.

Having thus exhausted all her ideas for obtaining the drug legally, the 
wife yesterday asked Eilat's regional radio station for help in publicizing 
her plight.

Major General Yoav Sieglowitz, the commander of the Eilat Police, said that 
though he was sorry for the couple, he could not legally help them. "The 
permit was given to the bedridden husband, not to her," he explained - and 
therefore, it would be a criminal offense for police to give her marijuana 
from their stock of confiscated drugs.

Health Ministry spokesman Ido Hadari said there is currently no way to 
supply the drug legally. However, Hadari added, the ministry is working on 
ways to import it from the Netherlands, where it is available legally.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth