Pubdate: Tue, 27 Mar 2007
Source: Evening News, The (CN NS)
Copyright: The Evening News
Contact: http://www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?pid=586
Website: http://www.newglasgownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3343
Author: Russell Barth
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

TORY MAJORITY WOULD MEAN WAR ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

To the editor,

As a Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder who is also married to 
one, I fear nothing in this world more than a Tory majority 
government in Canada.

The Tories have been very clear about this subject: They believe 
marijuana is dangerous and that there is no medical use for it. 
Period. They also believe that people who use or grow marijuana 
should face criminal charges, even teens and sick people. They also 
believe that criminal sanctions are the best way to deter its use, so 
they believe prohibition should remain in place.

Here is the nightmare I envision:

Day 1) After campaigning on a tough-on-drugs policy, the Tories win a 
majority government.

Day 2) They announce the closing of the unconstitutional and 
dysfunctional Health Canada Medical Marijuana Program (MMAD). This 
violates our Charter rights, but, hey - who can stop them?

Day 3) All 1,500 (or so) sick and dying Federal Medical Marijuana 
Licence Holders are informed that their licences are no longer valid, 
they have no legal supply AT ALL, and if they grow or possess any 
marijuana, they may be charged.

Day 4) The RCMP use the new majority government as tacit permission 
to start rounding up marijuana dissidents, especially people who hold 
protests, write letters, run compassion clubs, run head-shops or 
websites, or criticize the police and government. Since they have all 
of our names and addresses at the Health Canada office, it would be 
like shooting fish in a barrel.

Day 5) Large scale dealers and growers pop corks to celebrate as the 
government announces new tough sentencing laws that punish pot 
growers. This scares off thousands of small time basement growers, 
leaving all the business for the gangsters.

Day 6) My epileptic wife has a seizure and dies because she was 
forced to use street weed grown by thugs. The pharmaceuticals never 
worked anyway, and with no legal or safe supply, it was street weed or nothing.

That is what keeps me awake at night, and now, with Harper in 
majority territory, I am more terrified than ever. I pray hard that 
Canadians will see the Tories for the clear and present danger that they are.

Russell Barth

Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder

Ottawa
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman