To the Editor: Re: Former officer weighs in on pot debate, Feb. 16, Almaguin News. I won't ask Mr. Dalton who he votes for - we all know! Mr. Dalton said, "This drug, as all illicit drugs or narcotics, in my respectful opinion, is the scourge of the earth." Hundreds of thousands of permanently ill people in Canada and around the world use cannabis (marijuana) to relieve their pain, to be functional while medicated, improve their quality of life and survive longer! What a scourge! [continues 175 words]
Jon Ferry's "solution" for medical pot distribution might be more problematic than it seems. Only a minority of legal and licensed medical marijuana users can afford to buy Health Canada's marijuana grown by PPS- Cannasat, which they sell for $150 per 30 grams, plus 13 per cent HST and shipping. I have a medical marijuana prescription of 10 grams per day, so I couldn't afford the government pot. Different strains of cannabis help people with different or multiple health conditions, but our government supplies a single strain that is weak, irradiated and tastes bad. Pharmaceutical distribution would mean profits for growers, pharmaceutical companies, governments, pharmacies and doctors. Allowing people to grow their own marijuana makes it much more affordable. Pharmacy pot? No thanks. Marc Paquette, Hawkesbury, Ont. [end]
Re: Health Canada Mails Details Of Marijuana Users, March 12. Such an information leak at Health Canada isn't a first. In the winter of 2000, my private information and also the private information of over 120 other medical marijuana exemption applicants leaked out of Health Canada and mysteriously landed in the hands of an Ottawa newspaper. Many of us complained to the federal privacy commission about this. The investigation lasted about a year, until those concerned received a letter of excuse from the privacy commissioner, on the behalf of Health Canada That letter, and this article, stated that the Ministry "takes the protection of private information very seriously." Really? I have never trusted Health Canada since my information was leaked. Marc Paquette Hawkesbury, Ont. [end]
Editor: Re: "Glad to see mayor dealing with issue," the Times Dec. 28, by Sheldon Starrett. After reading Mr. Starrett's letter about the use of medicinal marijuana (cannabis), not only I was upset, but I was astounded to see how misinformed he was. I was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, fibromyalgia, arthritis and many other chronic conditions in 1995, and with time, my liver became completely intolerant to all narcotic pharmaceutical analgesics, including Tylenol and Aspirin. Marijuana is a non-toxic medicinal herb, and it has never killed anyone in all it's 5,000 years of recorded medicinal history. [continues 154 words]
Dear Editor; Re: The taxman taxes her tokes, Dec 18, 2010. I'm a legal medicinal marijuana user and produce my own medicinal marijuana legally since March 2000. Health Canada stipulates it charges HST in applicable jurisdictions because dried marijuana is not an approved prescription drug under the Food and Drug Act. This statement is misleading, as doctors do prescribe a certain daily dosage of marijuana when filling out the MMAR (Marihuana Medical Access Regulations) forms. Is it reasonable for our coldhearted 'feds' to charge 13 per cent of HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) to legal and licensed medicinal 'marihuana' (cannabis) users? [continues 176 words]
To The Editor: Regarding the story where the RCMP says the public has helped them take 23,000 plants out of circulation, 'J' Division RCMP Staff Sgt. Gary Cameron is an ill-informed ideologist cop! 'If' marijuana is harmful, then why is this non-toxic medicinal herb improving and extending the lives of thousands of chronically ill Canadians who are legally licensed by Health Canada to use it for medicinal reasons? I am one of them since March 2000, and let me tell you that if it wouldn't have been of marijuana, I would have died some time ago. There are millions of marijuana users in Canada, so why aren't our hospitals filled with marijuana users if it's harmful? How many died because of marijuana? And the social problems caused by marijuana are to be blamed on its prohibition! Sgt. Gary Cameron should educate himself about the dozens of medicinal benefits of marijuana instead of propagating such garbage. Marc Paquette, Hawkesbury, Ont. [end]
Re: Your comment concerning my Nov. 17 letter that "Most cops I know just want to help people and bust bad guys." Who exactly are the "bad guys?" Those who manufacture and distribute drugs, or those who consume them? What came first, the hen or the egg? Is there a market without a demand? Did alcohol prohibition work? When legal drugs kill thousands of Canadians annually ,why aren't "legal" drug manufacturers considered as "bad guys" too? Marc Paquette (What does that have to do with cops just doing their jobs?) [end]
Editor, The News: Re: Party's not over (News views, Oct. 6). First, I would like to congratulate the author of this excellent opinion. Thank-you, kudos to you, as I couldn't agree more. An Angus-Reid poll last year determined that 63 per cent of Canadians say that drugs are a health issue, not a judicial one. The message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government is quite clear: more drug war is exactly what most Canadians don't want; more people jailed, more prisons to build, more judges and Crown lawyers to hire, more court houses to build, more cops to hire while our country's crime levels are at their lowest levels in years. If our feds do this, it will give Canada the same prison-state reputation as the U.S. All of this, of course, would translate with more taxes to pay in a country where its citizens are already overtaxed. Marc Paquette, Hawkesbury, Ont. [end]
Re: Children and marijuana don't mix (Salmon Arm Observer, June 13, 2007) It seems that prohibition makes legal and licensed medical marijuana users and growers second-class citizens - true medical segregation. Our society, media, politicians and authorities should readjust with our times and realize that some of the people mentioned above do have children - and they are NOT exposed under these dangers. Hundreds of these people have been growing cannabis legally in their home since June 1999 (since March, 2000 in my case), and none burned down. Maybe it's because the vast majority of these people don't have an electrical bypass and fully pay for their electricity? It's marijuana prohibition and privacy invasion laws which make some "illegal" growers bypass their electric meter. Marc Paquette, medical marijuana grower [end]
Is Harper for real? Cutting down taxes sounds so nice! And at the same time, Harper wants harsher penalties, more jail time, more police, more judges, more courts and more jails for all drug offenders in our country. If Harper cuts the GST to 5% and also cuts personal income taxes, where will he get all the money to afford his "justice" system ... the American administration? Has he really thought about it, or is it just another "electoral promise" to get more votes? [continues 21 words]
