cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Users Will Turn To Street Dealer Medical Marijuana Users Will Turn To Street Dealer Posted by CN Staff on August 22, 2002 at 09:04:07 PT By CBC News Online Staff Source: CBC Members of the country's largest compassion club say comments by the federal health minister have effectively ended Ottawa's medical marijuana program. Initially, people who use medical marijuana were hopeful that their supply would come from a government-managed growing program in Flin Flon. But earlier in the week, Health Minister Anne McLellan said the issues surrounding medicinal pot make her feel some "discomfort." She says clinical trials must be conducted before any government-approved pot is released. That process could take years. That worries people who say they need the drug. Dave Biggs, who visits the Vancouver compassion club for marijuana treatment, says he's concerned about the supply of marijuana for other patients. Vancouver police often turn a blind eye to pot distribution there. The manager of the club, Rheal Capler, says while patients can still get permits from Health Canada, it will be tough to get a doctor's approval. "In effect, the regulations are less accessible than they were before," said Capler. Phillipe Lucas, in charge of Victoria's compassion club, agrees. He says the federal medicinal marijuana program is effectively over. "Now that there's no supply at the end of the line, that all you're going to get with going through with this process is a piece of paper. I think people who are seriously ill are going to have to consider their options," said Lucas. He says more sick people will turn to street dealers, even though they know it's against the law. Complete Title: Compassion Clubs Say Medical Marijuana Users Will Turn To Street Dealers Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Author: CBC News Online Staff Published: Thursday, August 22, 2002Copyright: 2002 CBCWebsite: http://www.cbc.ca/Contact: cbcinput toronto.cbc.caRelated Articles & Web Site:VICShttp://www.thevics.com/Anne 'Stalling' on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13825.shtmlSquabbles Erupt Over Policyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13824.shtmlHow To Stall On Medicinal Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13823.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by FoM on August 22, 2002 at 12:56:09 PT VitaminT Thanks, I went ahead and posted the article. There have been so many articles about this topic that I don't look at them so I missed it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Unknown Pleasures on August 22, 2002 at 12:53:48 PT some 'discomfort' !!?? Health Minister Anne McLellan said the issues surrounding medicinal pot make her feel some "discomfort." Hey, what about the discomfort of thousands and thousands of sick and dying people??? The real and senseless suffering experienced by the terminally ill, should make her feel more than 'some discomfort' on the issue.Wether or not Cannabis has Medical benefits that can be tested and measured in a laboratory over a drawn out period of time is beside the point, since thousands of people who are dying NOW say it helps them NOW. Politcs is the atithesis of Compassion and Wisdom. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by VitaminT on August 22, 2002 at 12:36:03 PT Here's a little more info if it's useful More students say schools drug free Yet survey finds marijuana easier to get than beer By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff, 8/21/2002 [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by VitaminT on August 22, 2002 at 12:32:25 PT Hey FoM Here's an intresting remark from the "acting" director of NIDA.Glen Hanson, acting director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a federal agency, agrees that "Since access to beer and cigarettes is restricted at the retail stage, Hanson said, youths have significant hurdles to obtaining them.'' As far as marijuana is concerned, there is not any control there,'' he said. ''If you want it, you can get it. That is not good news.''I don't remember reading this quote in any of the other stories on the subject. I pulled this off the DPFT List the original story was in the Boston Globe. You may want to post it if you can and/ or haven't already. I don't have a direct url but here's their main site link Boston Globe [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on August 22, 2002 at 11:27:58 PT Dan Here's More Links UN Cites Failure to Uproot Opium http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13800.shtml Afghans Announce Victory in War Against Opium http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12601.shtml Afghan Poppy Growers Settle in for Long Struggle http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12538.shtml Afghanistan to Pay Farmers for Uprooted Poppies http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12445.shtml The New Heroin http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11366.shtml Legalising drugs: Choose Your Poison: Aug 8th 2002 From The Economist Print Edition http://www.economist.com/books/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1270531 [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Dan B on August 22, 2002 at 11:07:33 PT: The Bush Strategy Well, it looks like the Bush Drug Cartel is in full swing again. Read the latest about opium at record levels in Afghanistan:http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=913772002As I (and many, many others) have said all along, the reasons why we went to Afghanistan are twofold: oil and drugs. That is, we went there to secure oil and drugs for American big money. It had absolutely nothing to do with "terrorism." That was simply the cover story.If you think America isn't making huge profits off the illegal drug trade, you don't know much about American history when it comes to trafficking in illegal drugs, especially opium derivatives. Here's a list of links that provide some excellent history lessons:http://www.drugtext.org/books/McCoy/default.htmhttp://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/CIA%20Hits/Drugs_CIAHits.htmlhttp://www.ciadrugs.com/http://www.radio4all.org/crackcia/http://serendipity.magnet.ch/cia/blum1.htmlhttp://serendipity.magnet.ch/cia/c_o_mena.htmlhttp://www.assumption.edu/WebVAX/WWeekly/WW10Jul95Mena.htmlThat should be plenty for now. This is not conspiracy theory; it is fact. Notice that I didn't include Mike Ruppert's excellent website, From The Wilderness, which has a great deal more information on the subject. See the link to that site at the close of this comment.History shows us that the U. S. government has been involved with the illegal drug trade, but only the really hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. Cannabis is right out; after all, it isn't addictive. Trust me: if the government could find a way to make cannabis addictive, they'd be selling it on the black market, too. As it is, the best they can hope for is that dealers who sell cannabis will continue to sell hard drugs, thereby maintaining the supply of hard drug users through artificial "escalation."So, it looks like Bush has a new supply of narcodollars to support his 2004 campaign.Dan B From the Wilderness [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by TroutMask on August 22, 2002 at 09:24:06 PT Timber!!!! "We have front-row seats for the collapse of the Canadian marijuana laws."You got it!-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on August 22, 2002 at 09:20:08 PT FYI: this is how it happens We have front-row seats for the collapse of the Canadian marijuana laws. I guarantee you Anne McClellan's staff has clipped every single one of the articles and editorials from the last few days. Each one is like another painful dart. There's nothing that makes politicians cringe more than being openly, harshly criticized in the media.Maybe, someday, American media will step up to the plate. I doubt it, though. As long as there's an OJ, or presidential blow job, or children being kidnapped, I don't expect much. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 22, 2002 at 09:13:36 PT Thanks puff_tuff I'm listening to it now! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by puff_tuff on August 22, 2002 at 09:11:35 PT CBC Radio Here is an Audio Link for this article. Chris Brown reports for CBC Radio (Runs 1:19) [ Post Comment ] Post Comment