Pubdate: Tue, 26 Feb 2013
Source: Now, The (Surrey, CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: Christopher Poon

POT ADVOCATES PROTEST OUTSIDE HIEBERT'S OFFICE

Medical marijuana advocates descended upon South Surrey-White 
Rock-Cloverdale MP Russ Hiebert's office in South Surrey Thursday to 
let it be known they are against proposed changes to Canada's Medical 
Marijuana Access Regulations.

Consisting of supporters and users of medicinal marijuana, the group 
of about 10 stood outside of Hiebert's office for half an hour 
starting at 11 a.m. as part of a nationwide movement to raise the 
issue at local MP offices.

The issue at hand is a proposal by the federal government to phase 
out all personal production of medical marijuana by March 2014, 
essentially making it so users will have no choice but to get their 
medicine from commercial dispensaries. Currently, users can apply for 
a licence to grow their own marijuana at home or choose to make their 
purchases at a dispensary or private seller.

David Hutchinson, whose 19-year-old daughter is a user of medicinal 
marijuana, came out to show his concern over the proposed changes.

"These changes would make it unaffordable for those who take medical 
marijuana, I have a daughter who takes it and this would make the 
medicine unaffordable by essentially making it go from $200 a month 
to over $3,000 a month," he said. "They're taking away people's 
opportunities to grow it themselves or buy from private growers and 
that makes it unaffordable for some users."

Hutchinson said his daughter uses medicinal marijuana to relieve the 
symptoms caused by brain tumours.

For Joy Davies, who suffers from fibromyalgia and grows her own 
medicinal marijuana, she's concerned that the changes would 
essentially make her a criminal for growing her own medicine.

"If I have to pay for my medication that's $6,000 a month I don't 
have," she said.

Currently there are nearly 30,000 people in Canada licensed to grow 
medical marijuana, with 11,500 in B.C.
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