cannabisnews.com: Decriminalized Pot Not Enough for Medicinal Users





Decriminalized Pot Not Enough for Medicinal Users
Posted by CN Staff on May 12, 2003 at 12:44:15 PT
By The Canadian Press
Source: Canadian Press 
Montreal -- Ottawa's much-anticipated legislation aimed at decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana would still end up punishing those who need the drug for medical purposes, an advocate for medicinal cannabis said Monday. "This scheme is essentially picking on poor people," Hilary Black, spokesperson for the British Columbia Compassion Club Society, told a news conference. "People who are ill tend to be living in the most poverty." 
The federal government is expected to unveil legislation this week aimed at decriminalizing possession of marijuana in amounts below 15 grams. The proposals would also include a new strategy designed by Health Canada to discourage the use of drugs. Decriminalization does not legalize marijuana possession. But instead of mandatory court appearances and the risk of a criminal record, offenders would get fines starting at about $200, said Black. But those fines would be too steep for Canadians who use marijuana daily to cope with painful ailments such as multiple sclerosis, hepatitis or Crohn's disease, said Black. Black said patients who have Health Canada's approval to smoke marijuana still have no easy, affordable access to a legal supply of the substance. Many are forced to buy it on the street or from growers who cultivate plans obtained from illegal sources. Making medicinal marijuana more accessible and more affordable were just two of nine recommendations Black and other compassion club members presented Monday to a Health Canada advisory committee studying the issue. Complete Title: Decriminalized Pot Not Enough Help for Medicinal Users: Compassion ClubsSource: Canadian Press Published: Monday, May 12, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Site:The Compassion Clubhttp://www.thecompassionclub.org/U.S. Fear of Liberalized Pot Laws Unwarranted http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16199.shtmlCanada Rethinks Medical Marijuana Laws http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16079.shtmlCourt Nixes Fed's Medical-Pot Regulationshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15153.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on May 12, 2003 at 15:10:00 PT
Expanded Article from The Canadian Press
 Decriminalized Pot Not Enough for Medicinal Users By Michelle MaCafeeMay 12, 2003 
Montreal (CP) - Ottawa's much-anticipated legislation aimed at decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana would still end up punishing those who need the drug for medical purposes, an advocate for medicinal cannabis said Monday. "This scheme is essentially picking on poor people," Hilary Black, spokesperson for the British Columbia Compassion Club Society, told a news conference. "People who are ill tend to be living in the most poverty." They are often forced to choose between food and marijuana because the current laws often force users to pay street prices of between $150 to $300 per ounce, said Black. "The cost of medicinal cannabis right now is closer to the cost of gold than it is to the cost of tomatoes, which in terms of production costs is what it should be closer to," said Black. Black suggested that health-care insurance help subsidize medicinal marijuana, the same way that prescription drugs are covered. The federal government is expected to unveil legislation this week aimed at decriminalizing possession of marijuana in amounts below 15 grams. Decriminalization does not legalize marijuana possession. But instead of mandatory court appearances and the risk of a criminal record, offenders could face fines similar to traffic violations. Health Canada currently allows approved patients to smoke marijuana to relieve pain and nausea associated with illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease and hepatitis. But the approval is often difficult and time-consuming to obtain, said Philippe Lucas, director of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society. And because there's no direct legal supply of marijuana in Canada, approved patients are often forced to buy it on the street. VICS: http://www.thevics.com/
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Comment #2 posted by 2Spooky on May 12, 2003 at 14:34:52 PT
Why Bother?
Why should a leader of another country trouble himself to seek the approval of Bush for a minor law in his own country???How disgusting.I hope this really gets some anti-american reaction from the courts and other lawmakers in Canada.Good luck, guys :)
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 12, 2003 at 13:30:47 PT
News Brief from Reuters UK
Canada Minister to Outline Pot Plan to Washington Monday, May 12, 2003 OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is due to travel to Washington on Tuesday to present his controversial plan to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, a government spokesman said.Cauchon is expected to introduce his marijuana legislation this month, most likely this week, despite warnings from the Bush administration that this could force the United States to tighten its border with Canada.Jim Munson, director of communications for Prime Minister Jean Chretien, said on Monday that Cauchon was scheduled to fly down on Tuesday to brief Washington on the plan, designed to ensure no one gets a criminal record for having small amounts of the drug. Jail terms would likely be replaced by fines.Cauchon says 100,000 of Canada's 30 million people use marijuana on a daily basis, and the current legislation is enforced scantily and unevenly.He already described the plan briefly to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft last week at a Paris meeting of justice ministers of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations.
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