Pubdate: Sat, 11 Jan 2003
Source: Daily News, The (CN NS)
Copyright: 2003 The Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/halifax/dailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/179
Author: Beverley Ware

MCDOOBIES: MILLIONS AND MILLIONS SERVED?

Think of them as McDoobies or Bong King -- franchise outlets across the 
province where you can buy marijuana.

That's what medical-marijuana advocates are calling for as they seek 
improved access to pain-relieving pot.

Debbie Stultz-Giffin smokes four grams of pot a day to alleviate pain and 
symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis.

Her husband was convicted four years ago of growing marijuana, even though 
it was for his wife, who is legally allowed to use it.

"Health Canada has put us in the situation where many exemption holders are 
driven to the black market to purchase their marijuana at inflated prices," 
she said.

It also puts patients at risk because they can't be sure of the quality of 
the drug, Stultz-Giffin said.

John Cook operates Cook's Compassion Club out of Harrietsfield. He sells 
pot at reduced prices to people who have a doctor's note.

He supplies marijuana to patients from Cape Breton to Yarmouth, and both he 
and Stultz-Giffin would like to see local outlets opened across the province.

"They should be set up in each county, or at least regionally, with local 
legitimate growers who support us in our quest for legal marijuana," 
Stultz-Giffin said.

Cook said if marijuana was legal, he'd like to sell it to both recreational 
and medical users through clubs that also offer herbs and massages for the 
sick.

He also favours selling it through liquor stores or franchises of his own 
business: "Oh sure, I'd give anyone help who wanted to do that."

It could be a lucrative business, but Cook said medical-marijuana users 
should get their pot free, because for them, it's medicine.

Both the recent Senate committee on drug use in Canada and the Ontario 
judge who ruled this week the federal government's Medical Marijuana Access 
Regulations are unconstitutional recommend regulated distribution centres 
or licensed compassion clubs that allow users open access to 
quality-controlled pot.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens