Pubdate: Thu, 22 Dec 2011
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2011 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Ken Sailor

SICKENING CHANGE

Re: Changes in works for marijuana laws (SP, Dec. 10).

I find the proposed changes to regulations extremely
annoying.

Eliminating the designated grower program in favour of commercial
marijuana is cruel and unnecessary.

Consider MS sufferer Michael Greenblatt, as discussed in the
article.

He was desperate for relief after 20 years of taking toxic
pharmaceuticals that were becoming less effective at controlling his
spasms and nausea.

What a miracle that marijuana helps him, and how wonderful that his
son can grow it for him.

The elimination of designated growers will make it illegal for
Greenblatt to buy marijuana from anyone except Prairie Plant Systems,
at $5 per gram. Since he uses 10 grams a day, this will cost $50
daily, or $18,250 a year.

Will our cash-strapped health-care system have to pick up this
exorbitant cost for something that a loved one could grow with little
more care than required for lettuce?

The health minister says designated growers are being eliminated 
because "We have heard complaints and concerns from many fire 
departments and many mayors." Concerns about legal, designated growers, really?

Don't these municipalities have building codes? Or are concerns about 
illegal growers being used as one more way to make it difficult for 
medical marijuana users to get relief ?

Our courts have repeatedly ruled that marijuana laws and regulations
have unnecessarily prevented sick people from getting something that
helps them.

Marijuana prohibition is a failure and a farce. The government must
stop harming the desperately sick, based on its frustration at its
inability to stop recreational use.

Ken Sailor

Saskatoon
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.