cannabisnews.com: Rock Planned To Release Pot, Letter Says Rock Planned To Release Pot, Letter Says Posted by CN Staff on September 18, 2002 at 08:52:11 PT By Brian Laghi Source: Globe and Mail Ottawa -- Court documents show that Allan Rock was poised to distribute medicinal marijuana just as he was replaced by Anne McLellan as Health Minister, say lawyers who are suing the government for acting in bad faith.The suggestion is included in a draft letter written for Mr. Rock by assistant deputy minister of health Dann Michols in November and filed with the Ontario Superior Court in connection with the suit. The letter, which was not sent, was to be distributed to hundreds of ill people who are qualified to possess the drug for medicinal purposes."Initial supplies are expected to be available for distribution early in 2002," says the letter, which is included in the court records. "Although final distribution plans are not yet available, you may be assured that Health Canada is currently working to develop the distribution mechanisms that would permit you to receive this marijuana."A group of advocates for medicinal marijuana is suing the government, saying it changed plans for wide distribution in midstream by making the marijuana available only to those participating in clinical trials. The group argues that the government has acted in bad faith, and it wants a federal crop of marijuana released for use by patients who are exempt from prosecution for using the drug.The advocates want the court to order the government to reverse its decision not to distribute the marijuana.Alan Young, a lawyer representing the group, said the delay in distributing the drug runs counter to Mr. Rock's pledge of expeditious delivery, and the letter from the department proves it."We have, on record, a draft letter that he was going to send to authorized Canadians indicating that once the mechanisms of distribution were established, they would be receiving medicine in short order," Mr. Young said.The two sides are in court tomorrow and Friday.The court case underlines how Ms. McLellan and Mr. Rock differ on their interpretation of the program's goals. Mr. Rock maintains that he had always intended to distribute the cannabis to people who are exempt from criminal sanction while conducting clinical trials. Ms. McLellan has said the government has agreed only to conduct clinical trials.The draft letter was written after police charged a man with trafficking in marijuana, despite his arguments that he was providing it to ill people. In an accompanying memo, Mr. Michols states that the draft letter would assure exempt Canadians that marijuana would be made available, provided those who receive it agree to provide information for monitoring and research purposes.In an affidavit filed by the government, a Health Canada official said the marijuana produced by Prairie Plant Systems was intended for research purposes only.Cindy Cripps-Prawak also said in her June 27 statement that the cannabis did not meet regulatory standards and providing itto people outside clinical trials could expose them to health risks, she said.In a subsequent cross-examination on her affidavit by Mr. Young, Ms. Cripps-Prawak said the government never considered distribution of marijuana outside of clinical trials." . . . I don't believe it has ever been the intent of this particular department or this initiative to make marijuana freely available to those exempted Canadians without the context of some sort of monitoring and research context," Ms. Prawak says in a transcript of the proceeding.Note: By halting plan, Ottawa acted in bad faith, advocates for medical marijuana tell court.Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Brian LaghiPublished: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 – Print Edition, Page A4Copyright: 2002 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.ca/Related Articles:Ottawa Making ‘Mess’ of Medical Marijuana Issuehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13990.shtmlThe Flin Flon Flip-Flophttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13958.shtmlSmoke Out the Politicianshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13880.shtmlHow To Stall On Medicinal Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13823.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by WolfgangWylde on September 19, 2002 at 04:29:09 PT TroutMask... ...Hmmm, I figured as much. Apparently, the Court's ruling (which was quite clear - that marijuana must be made as available as any other prescrition drug), didn't mean what it said. So it goes. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by TroutMask on September 18, 2002 at 10:37:43 PT Clarification Clarification: The END of the one year was July 31, 2001. On that day, they enacted the MMAR (medical marijuana access regulations). But whether they went far enough is still questionable. At least one case says they didn't go far enough and therefore there has been no marijuana prohibition in Canada since August 1, 2001. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by TroutMask on September 18, 2002 at 10:35:44 PT WW.... Do you mean the one year that the govt had to legalize MJ for medical use or end marijuana prohibition? If so, that date was July 31, 2001. Whether the govt complied has been in court ever since. We are only just now about to have the Supreme Court hear the cases.-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by WolfgangWylde on September 18, 2002 at 09:59:45 PT Isnt' the Ottawa Court's ... ... one year deadline up soon? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by malleus on September 18, 2002 at 09:26:49 PT This is big news So, Mr. Rock had his finger on the switch the whole time...and could have pressed the button giving tens of thousands of Canadian patients their medicine and he didn't do it.Unless something even more incriminating than this letter shows up, the Canadians have it sewn up tight. Their government has backpedalled on this so much their bikes must have rear-looking radar, as they can't even conceive of moving in a forward direction anymore, just further backwards. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on September 18, 2002 at 09:23:16 PT It's Time Wouldn't it be awesome if the court forced the government to begin distributing marijuana in violation of the Anti-Drug treaties?The latest round of Canadian Supreme Court challenges have begun. An interesting and exciting few months and years ahead...-TM [ Post Comment ] Post Comment