cannabisnews.com: Marijuana in Jail? Never! 





Marijuana in Jail? Never! 
Posted by CN Staff on March 22, 2003 at 08:20:30 PT
By Charlie McKenzie 
Source: Hour Magazine 
It's common knowledge that drugs are readily available in Canada's prisons - unless you have a prescription. Michael Patriquen, leader of Nova Scotia's Marijuana party and past federal candidate, has a doctor's prescription and a Health Canada permit for medicinal marijuana to help with chronic pain stemming from a 1999 car accident. But he's also serving a six-year prison sentence for various marijuana offences and Corrections Canada has a strict 'no way' policy about handing out marijuana to prisoners.
"There is still no legal supply (of marijuana) available," explained prison spokeswoman Lynn Chaplin. They offered Patriquen synthetic THC pills but he refused on the advice of other doctors. Another prison doctor offered opiates, which he also refused. "I told him that I didn't want a drug problem on top of everything else. They're highly addictive."So Patriquen is doing something relatively novel: He's taking his jailor to court. The case has drawn the attention of millionaire marijuana activist Marc Emery, who will help bankroll the action. Emery has provided major funding for almost every pro-pot effort in North America, including numerous court challenges. One is heading for the Supreme Court later this spring, which could remove Canada's marijuana prohibition altogether.John Conroy of Abbotsford, B.C., an expert in cannabis and penal law, has been hired to handle Patriquen's case. In the late '60s Conroy founded the Canadian chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, who wants marijuana legalized, says Patriquen's rights are being ignored. "He's entitled to get marijuana no matter where he is in Canada," Nolin says.Canada's Solicitor-General Wayne Easter disagrees. "We don't want to go down that route... if you are in prison you're not there to smoke marijuana," he said.That's for the court to decide. Source: Hour Magazine (CN QU)Author: Charlie McKenzie Published: March 20, 2003Copyright: 2003 Communications Voir Inc.Website: http://www.hour.ca/Contact: letters afterhour.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmPot Appeal Dropped in N.S. Courts http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15706.shtmlPot Appeal Given Up - Edmonton Sun http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15702.shtmlFederal Inmate Fights To Smoke Medicinal Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15681.shtml
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