Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jul 2015
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Stephanie Levitz
Page: A9

RULES LOOSEN FOR USERS OF MEDICAL POT

OTTAWA- Rules that limited medical marijuana users to only dried forms
of the drug have gone up in smoke.

Forms of marijuana that can be used to make everything from brownies
to lip balms will now be legally available following Health Canada's
swift response to a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that had struck
down an element of the previous regulations on access to medical
marijuana as unconstitutional.

In a directive issued Wednesday, the department said that cannabis
oils, as well as fresh marijuana buds and leaves, can now be sold by
licensed producers provided they follow similar packaging and
labelling requirements as exist for dried marijuana.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose suggested the government acted only
because it had to.

"(Health Canada) will implement what the Supreme Court has said in
their court-imposed marijuana for medicinal purposes program. But
their first top-of-line message is, 'Marijuana is not a medicine,' "
Ambrose said in Edmonton Wednesday.

In June, the top court ruled the existing regulations restricting
medical marijuana possession to dried pot violated the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms.
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MAP posted-by: Matt