Pubdate: Fri, 21 Mar 2014
Source: Cowichan News Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Cowichan News Leader
Contact:  http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author: Patrick Hrushowy

NEW MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE?

I don't know all that much about Canada's new medical marijuana laws 
but it seems clear we are headed for a disaster of at least minor proportions.

Set to kick in on April 1 (what wonderful timing), the new laws give 
the boot to existing, lawful, personal medical-marijuana grow 
operations and authorizations to possess.

As of that date, the Health Canada web site says: "... the only legal 
access to marijuana for medical purposes will be through licensed 
producers under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, even 
if you have an authorization to possess, or a licence to produce that 
has a later date."

There was also a news release earlier this week from Health Canada 
that said people with existing authorizations to grow or possess 
marijuana had to show proof they had destroyed their stash or tossed 
out live plants. If people did not do this, Health Canada would be 
turning names and addresses of defiant ones over to the police.

Really!!?? Does anyone in Ottawa think the RCMP and city cops all 
across Canada are going to launch massive raids on people with 
terminal cancer, using grass to have at least some quality of life as 
their lives dwindle? Did anyone notice police forces across the 
country have been publicly stating they would put virtually zero 
resources into tracking down personal pot or medical marijuana users?

What about the compassion clubs that have cropped up all across 
Canada offering various medical cannabis preparations for everything 
from cancer to intractable arthritis? Lots of these operated on a 
non-profit basis, making these preparations modestly priced. Most 
estimates say products from the new mandated and regulated producers 
will see prices sky rocket.

Lawyers have already been in federal court asking a judge to issue an 
injunction against the government to stop implementation of these new 
laws. Lawyers said the approximately 37,000 people in Canada licensed 
to possess will be deprived of their right to affordable access to 
the form and nature of the cannabis products they know work for them.

High-security concrete boxes favoured by the new medical marijuana 
producers have been cropping up in cities across Canada, many frowned 
upon by local governments that can't decide if they are agricultural 
or commercial operations, and therefore aren't clear about proper 
zoning designations.

I think this is a mess that will blow up on the Conservatives. Many 
of the people using medical marijuana belong in the demographic that 
tends to vote Conservative.

The government's mixed priorities on the pot file are jaw dropping. 
On one hand, we have the heavy hand of government regulation clamping 
down on medical marijuana use, with dire threats of turning defiant 
terminal-cancer patients over to police. On the other hand, the 
government announces it intends to make simple marijuana possession a 
ticketing offence.

Duh! ...what gives here? Is it possible the bungling of this file 
could be the defining issue that convinces enough people that maybe 
the risk of electing young Justin Trudeau as prime minister is worth the effort?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom