Pubdate: Sat, 04 Feb 2006 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2006 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Russell Barth Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada) MEDICAL POT USERS TREATED LIKE CROOKS Why is it still okay to treat medical marijuana users in Canada like "terrorists?" Imagine having some past-date prescriptions in your medicine cabinet, and suddenly your house is full of cops sticking guns in your face. Or maybe your driver's license is a month out of date, and suddenly you are roughed up and handcuffed and searched at the side of the road -- right in front of your kids. Is that sensible? No. So why is it okay to do it to medical marijuana users? Because a "license expired" doesn't mean they should be deprived of their medicine and treated like a criminal. I hope Mr. Shapiro sues the police and Health Canada for damages to his plants, equipment and the personal suffering that his family has endured. The onerous fiasco Health Canada calls its medical marijuana program not only does very little to help sick and dying Canadians, it puts some of them in even more danger of home invasion and harassment by police. Russell Barth Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman