Pubdate: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 Source: Merritt Herald (CN BC) Copyright: 2011 Merritt Herald Contact: http://www.merrittherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1446 Author: Wayne Phillips, Communications Director, Educators For Sensible Drug Policy. Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n701/a01.html?1263 BILL TARGETS MEDICINAL CANNABIS USERS Dear Editor: Regarding Dan Albas MP REPORT: Lack of info quickly turns to misinformation of Dec. 8, 2011. What seems to be misunderstood by the Member of Parliament is that Clause 39 - 41 of Bill C-10, in effect, amounts to the providing of insulation for organized crime and drug kingpins. This consequence would, for the most part, be triggered by the enactment of the proposed changes to the medical marihuana program by Health Canada. The amendment to clause 41, the last of the Part 2 amendments in reference to Schedule II inclusions of Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, alone ensures that. (Mandatory minimum penalty would only apply to instances where more than five plants but fewer than 201 plants are produced for the purpose of trafficking and where any of the specified aggravating factors would apply.) Among those caught up in Bill C-10 will be sick and dying medicinal cannabis users who refuse to relinquish their MMAR Personal Production Licenses (PPL's) and those designated growers who grow cannabis for MMAR patients who, for various reasons, cannot grow for themselves. These will be among those who will be targeted as "serious drug offenders" and facing mandatory minimum sentencing and incarceration. Moreover, this redefines cannabis offences in such a way that it will invariably hamstring jurisprudence while forcing a great expense upon the provinces and, inevitably, the taxpayer. Bill C-10 will do what it claims insofar as incarcerating people is concerned, but the police won't be targeting serious drug offences, nor will the courts be incarcerating serious drug offenders and the Member of Parliament should be under no illusions as to what his party's Bill is about to unleash. Wayne Phillips, Communications Director, Educators For Sensible Drug Policy, Hamilton, ON - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.