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Residents Help Create Nation's First Medical Marijuana
Pubdate: Thu, 25 Feb 2010
Source: Independent, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2010 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact: http://www.northumberlandnews.com/opinion/submitletter
Website: http://northumberlandnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1596
Page: 12
Author: Bill Tremblay
RESIDENTS HELP CREATE NATION'S FIRST MEDICAL MARIJUANA EXPO
Lobby Group Will Run Vapour Lounge At Event
Campbellford -- A group of east Northumberland residents will help
run Canada's first medical marijuana expo.
Medicinal Awareness (MA), a lobby group for medicinal marijuana, will
operate the vapour lounge at the 'Treating Yourself Expo' at the
Metro Toronto Convention Centre from July 16-18. MA is primarily
based in Brighton and Trent Hills.
"Our responsibility will be to teach other med patients how to use
the various vapourizers," MA member Al Graham said.
A vapourizer allows its user to inhale vapour from marijuana instead of smoke.
"It's been proven as a healthy method of delivery for cannabis," Mr.
Graham said. "There is no combustion, it's a vapour. It's the
healthiest way to take it into your lungs."
MA will teach people who hold a federal exemption to use marijuana
medically how to use the half dozen available brands of vapourizer.
"If they have any questions, we will be there to answer them," Mr. Graham said.
The vapour lounge won't be a small clinic. It's being billed as the
world's largest at 4,600 square feet.
The vapour lounge is only open to those who hold a medical exemption.
MA's 20 members all hold medical exemptions to use marijuana.
"Everyone in the group has a card," said member Bill Hewitt, who uses
marijuana to treat Spinal Archoditis. "We're all sick. None of us are healthy."
Mr. Hewitt said the goal of the expo is to educate the public on the
medicinal uses of marijuana - an area he believes Health Canada has failed.
"Health Canada does absolutely nothing for education," Mr. Hewitt
said. "They don't promote it or hand out literature about it, and
there are a lot of sick people out there."
MA advocates for the medical use of cannabis at nearly a dozen trade
show per year. The Toronto Home Show, Total Wellness Fair and Home
and Garden Show are three of the group's nine appearances booked this
year. They also advertise in local publications.
"We reach out to the people who don't expect to see us," said Mr.
Graham, who uses cannabis to treat Crohn's Disease. "The medical
benefits have been kept quiet. We're going out into the public and
showing them there is a different side to this."
Mr. Graham said the content of the expo assures the event isn't a
'pothead' convention, but a forum for a legitimate source of medication.
During the three-day expo, over 150 vendors are featured. Doctors,
lawyers and caregivers will deliver seminars on the use of cannabis.
The 2010 Marijuana Music Awards also accompany the expo.
"It's a first for Canada," Mr. Hewitt said. "A big first."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart