cannabisnews.com: Squabbles Erupt Over Policy





Squabbles Erupt Over Policy
Posted by CN Staff on August 21, 2002 at 07:20:36 PT
By Brian Laghi
Source: Globe and Mail 
Former health minister Allan Rock defended his decision to put medicinal marijuana into the hands of chronically ill Canadians -- and got into a public disagreement yesterday with the current minister, who wants to wait for clinical trials.Health Minister Anne McLellan says clinical trials must be done before the government makes any decision on releasing marijuana -- and she insists she has not changed her department's policy.
But Mr. Rock said it was alway his intention to provide cannabis while trials continue.No trials have begun."The second track we were on was speedy access to quality supply, and I found this just a matter of logic," he said. "If it's right to say they should have access, then it's right to provide them with lawful and safe material, and that means somebody has got to produce it, and that looks to me like the role of government."The policy of waiting for clinical trials could mean a long wait for hundreds of Canadians who can legally smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes, but who don't have a legal supplier. Such users might never get a supply.Mr. Rock's comments put into stark relief a split between him and Ms. McLellan, who has voiced discomfort with providing the drug for medicinal use."To my mind, it was pretty clear," said Mr. Rock. "We allow access to heroin and to morphine and to all kinds of other drugs which otherwise are unlawful and actually quite dangerous, but under controlled circumstances, we allow them."Ms. McLellan said she wished Mr. Rock had spoken to her before issuing his remarks."I honestly wish that my colleague, the Minister of Industry, had spoken to me before he decided to make comments in relation to an issue, a policy and a department that he doesn't have anything to do with any more," she said.Ms. McLellan said she is not shelving the federal program on medicinal marijuana by waiting for clinical trials."If something is considered a therapeutic drug, that decision and that representation has to be science-based," she said. "Anybody who thinks we are shelving our policy is misinformed."Groups including physicians and U.S. drug officials oppose Ottawa becoming a marijuana supplier.Mr. Rock, now Industry Minister, said the government should not construct its marijuana policy based on the reaction of the United States or by doctors who don't want to perscribe the drug."The conclusion that I came to was that we can't base our policy on social issues like this on American standards, especially in an area where they're very conservative," Mr. Rock said."We weren't, after all, talking about legalizing the drug. We were talking about compassionate access, and I just didn't think it was appropriate to take marching orders from Washington, D.C."Mr. Rock also said that he weighed the concern doctors expressed about side effects and decided that sick Canadians deserved access to marijuana if it helped them."I compared people who were dying of AIDS who could have relief against the potential harm to the lungs from inhaling hot smoke," Mr. Rock said. "I thought that there are side effects to so many medical drugs that we use, and that, on balance, the risk is justified."Under Mr. Rock, the Health Department contracted with a company in Flin Flon, Man., to grow large quantities of the drug.The marijuana program was one of Mr. Rock's signature policies as Health Minister, and Ms. McLellan's handling of the file has concerned those who back the program.Ms. McLellan said Monday that she was uncomfortable with the program because she is also charged with helping to reduce smoking among Canadians.Others who gain the right at a later date will continue to be able to grow the substance or have someone else do it for them.It is not the first time that the two ministers have had to deal with the same controversial files. During her term as justice minister, Ms. McLellan stickhandled the implementation of Canada's new gun registry after she inherited the issue from Mr. Rock. Mr. Rock has also taken a far tougher line with the provinces on medicare than has Ms. McLellan, an issue she is also now responsible for. The two are also a study in contrasts in policy development. Mr. Rock has a greater penchant for large projects, but has sometimes been criticized for clumsy implementation.For her part, Ms. McLellan prefers to avoid confrontation, and has a reputation among some for being too unwilling to upset the apple cart.Note: Rock and McLellan: Ministers split over releasing marijuana.Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Brian LaghiPublished: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 – Print Edition, Page A1Copyright: 2002 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.ca/Related Articles & Web Sites:Health Canadahttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/Canadian Medical Associationhttp://www.cma.ca/How To Stall On Medicinal Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13823.shtmlMcLellan Denies Plan To Shelve Medicinal Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13819.shtmlOttawa Shelves Medicinal Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13807.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by Naaps on August 23, 2002 at 09:17:52 PT
Toker00
It certainly brightened my day to see your effort at developing an acronym of my Cannabisnews nom de plume. Wearing an appreciative grin, I’ll confide that Naaps is merely my name spelled backwards. Perhaps, it’s not the most original moniker. National Association for the Advancement of Pot Smokers definitely has an appealing ring! In fact, maybe there should be such an association, though NORML probably fills that role adequately. Anyway, thanks for the attention. 
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Comment #8 posted by herbdoc215 on August 21, 2002 at 23:30:22 PT
I told everyone here 6 month's ago she wasn't 
 Going to finish what Rock started. I watched Allen Rock stand up and act like he had a pair back in July when he arranged for me to be allowed to donate seeds to cut through US redtape as he was pissed then. He is a rare man of courage in politics today, we should all write and tell everyone. NOW that damn McClennen bitch from hell should be cursed just ONE day with my pain, just one day puking all day in toilet then we would see how "nervous"she was. If she is not going to give medicine out then I am going to sue them for value of seeds as they promised they would be handed out to patients for free who needed it, LIARS, LIERS, LIERS, Peace, Steve Tuck   in exile 
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Comment #7 posted by mayan on August 21, 2002 at 17:12:30 PT
Thanks Dan B!
Screw "Mayor of Vancouver"! Emery for Prime Minister in 2004!!!
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Comment #6 posted by Dan B on August 21, 2002 at 14:40:21 PT:
letsgetfree
So much for "Jean-I-never-want-out." Check out this article:http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Canada-Chretien.html?ex=1030593600?en=1275fa29537d1fb5&ei=5058&partner=IWONDan B
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Comment #5 posted by letsgetfree on August 21, 2002 at 11:15:59 PT
O my
I'm loving this bashing Annes getting from the our press. I think you'll find the Canadian public, like almost always, is way ahead of the government on this. But the problem is we always are. When asked what they want most from government Canadians almost always respond by saying 1.Health Care 2. Education 3. Enviroment and near the bottom - Taxe Cuts. But thanks to the neo-liberal lie factory known as the Western media, all we get from the forever-in-power-"Liberals" is taxe cuts and program slashing. But of course we don't even have a 2 party state here, and we are forced to choose between Jean-i never-want-out and Paul-please-let-me-in. Pretty sad. 
Let's hope the courts can force em to do the right thang.and on the guberment being a drug dealer....HELLO! I work for the LCBO in Ontario, the largest liqour monopoly in the world. We sell soooo much booze, and at the same time give hundreds of millions of dollars back to the province. BUT THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN! What message will it send them if we say drinking alcohol is ok? We have billboards all along our highway in Toronto with beer and liqour ads. Doesn't that promote drinking and driving. Lets apply the same standards here people!Lets get Free!
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Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on August 21, 2002 at 10:58:25 PT
Naaps
National Association for the Advancement of Pot Smokers?I love it.Peace. Realize, then Legalize.
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Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on August 21, 2002 at 09:01:05 PT
primum non nocere
More harm is done by witholding cannabis as medicine.Comfort and aid the sick and dying.
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Comment #2 posted by Naaps on August 21, 2002 at 08:41:26 PT
In the Center Ring
It’s Rock versus McLellan in a ten round grudge match! Well, not exactly, for the people who care, the ones desperately awaiting some of the Canadian Government’s finest cannabis, the time stretches out, particularly lengthened for those really suffering.It’s easy for Rock to state, “Hey, the product was meant to be distributed.” But he isn’t in a position to act anymore on this issue.Meanwhile, professional fence sitter McLellan balances the interests of at least three groups: the Canadian Medical Association with its ties to the pharmaceutical industry, police associations keen on maintaining work for their members, and the well funded American people control industry. Too bad the genuinely affected ill people don’t have a better influence on McLellan.Of course, both Rock and McLellan have their controller PM Chretien, who doesn’t address the issue adequately. The Prime Minister must exercise some leadership, but he remains as much a deterrent to progressive change as anyone.
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on August 21, 2002 at 07:51:08 PT:
Too Delicious for Words
I am enjoying the smile!
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