cannabisnews.com: Ottawa Unveils Interim Medical Marijuana Deal Ottawa Unveils Interim Medical Marijuana Deal Posted by CN Staff on July 09, 2003 at 09:07:09 PT By CTV.ca News Staff Source: CTV Ottawa says it will allow people to obtain marijuana for medical reasons while the federal government appeals an Ontario court decision over how it distributes the plant.Under the interim deal, marijuana seeds will be given to people who are authorized to produce pot for medical purposes, Health Canada spokeswoman Cindy Cripps-Prawak told a news conference. A bag of 30 seeds will cost $20 and will be distributed "at least once." The dried version of the plant will be given to those authorized to use medical marijuana but too ill to grow their own at a cost of $5 per gram. It will be provided on a two-week or monthly basis."It's anticipated that this policy will remain in effect until the roles and responsibilities of the Government of Canada in providing marijuana for medical purposes are clarified," Cripps-Prawak said, adding the policy could be suspended at any time.Six months ago, an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered Health Canada to broaden access to medical marijuana. The judge said current laws made "seriously ill, vulnerable people deal with the criminal underworld to get medicine." The court gave Ottawa until Thursday to set new rules for people who need pot but have trouble getting it legally.The marijuana being used in the interim deal will come from a government grow lab in Flin Flon, Manitoba. Officials had earlier said the pot at the lab was too inconsistent to use, but now say 370 kilograms has passed the test.In terms of the concentration of THC -- the psychoactive ingredient in the plant -- it will be about 10 per cent. That's compared to between three per cent and 16 per cent THC concentration found in marijuana sold on the streets, Cripps-Prawak said.Rather than smoke the marijuana, Health Canada is advising people to ingest the plant in tea or by eating it. "We believe that patients should consume it in the safest possible way for them," Cripps-Prawak said. "And the only way they can determine that is by discussing it with their physician."Ottawa's appeal is expected to be heard by the end of the month. Sources tell CTV that if Ottawa wins the appeal, it will likely halt distribution. Ottawa unveiled its plans for medical marijuana under the leadership of former health minister Allan Rock and soon began to grow a supply in an abandoned mine shaft. But when Anne McLellan took over the post, Health Canada announced it would not make any of its Flin Flon marijuana available because it first wanted to see scientific proof about whether the drug is effective. Source: CTV (Canada)Published: July 9, 2003Copyright: 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. Website: http://www.ctv.ca/Contact: newsonline ctv.ca Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmOttawa OKs Medical Pot Distribution Plan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16796.shtmlOttawa Set To Sell Its Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16795.shtmlFeds To Sell Medicinal Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16794.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by afterburner on July 09, 2003 at 19:34:43 PT: Global Video "Global National: Whose pot is better? Wednesday, July 09, 2003 -- Dude, can you hook me up with a dime bag? We've taken a little liberty with the language, but for years that's the question medical marijuana users have been asking Ottawa. Tonight, the answer is finally: Yes. Years after the feds greenlighted the use of pot as medicine, they agreed today to deal it directly. Until now even with a permit, patients had buy it on the black market. Now we hate to be a buzz-kill, but as Jacques Bourbeau tells us, many aren't as stoked as you might imagine http://mirror.canada.com/toronto/globaltv/info/video/090703gn_story.ram "ego transcendence follows ego destruction, we've got a life to live. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 17:37:06 PT SoberStoner I'm glad I could help bring back a memory! Golf balls were fun to take apart! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by SoberStoner on July 09, 2003 at 17:27:48 PT FoM Wow..you just brought back some memories for me..Once when I was young, i wondered what the inside of a golf ball looked like. So i cut the shell open with a hacksaw.Remembering grabbing a piece of the string and holding it while I threw the ball and watched it unravel still brings a smile to my face. I spent a few long summer days bouncing the rubber ball at the center off whatever I could throw it at.Thanks for jolting that memory to the surface:)SS [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 17:12:35 PT SoberStoner Really good points. They sure must have burned the midnight oil to come up with this. It won't work and we know it. The laws against Cannabis are worse and more complicated then Cannabis use could ever be! The people that are running around in circles trying to figure out how to stop this must be getting high blood pressure or an ulcer or something. They might need to try Cannabis to help themselves feel better. I'm kidding but I'm really not.I've been thinking about a golf ball today. My family loved golfing but I didn't. I do remember something I liked. When a golf ball got a tear in it I liked to unravel the rubber bands inside. That's how I see this going. Slowly unraveling right before our eyes! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by SoberStoner on July 09, 2003 at 17:02:37 PT One more thing about yield You have to remember that yield figure will most likely be halved as you are most likely to get as many males as females. And if you dont get all the males out of there before they pollenate the females, you are going to lose even more weight since the plant will switch some of the energy it was using for flowering into producing seeds.One thing I dont understand..If the laws have been declared unconstitutional and they had to provide access by tomorrow, unless they overnight some bags to people, doesnt this technically mean they failed?I hope the courts will throw this out as it seems to be yet another bureaucratic nightmare. They even basically admit they are stalling by saying they only hope to distribute once. The courts are watching this I am sure, and they seem to be rational intelligent people. It's way past time to end this madness. RE-criminalization and mountains of paperwork is not the answerI must say tho..I am quite surprised they pulled this out of their ass..this is one possibility that I hadnt given serious thought due to the usually slow moving nature of government. I guess when it's as important as saving criminal, corrupting, irrational policies, they'll do anything to continue the status quo.Peace and loveSS [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 14:18:51 PT Expanded CTV News Story http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1057761867593_35/?hub=Health [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 11:17:03 PT CTV Video CTV News: Roger Smith on word that Ottawa is giving in on medical marijuana. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1057761867593_35///?hub=TopStories [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 10:24:50 PT Thanks Druid That's what I wanted to know. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by druid on July 09, 2003 at 10:22:42 PT FoM Plant yield depends largely on genetics.If you get really good genetics of a strain that is a good producer of bud then you can get around 2 lbs per plant. Some say there is a 5 lb limit but it is really hard to get that 5 lbs off one plant. Most people are going to get about 1 lb off a decent outdoor plant. If you don't know what you are doing it would be fairly easy to get 1/4 lb off one plant. A good indoor grower can get 1/4-1 lb off a single plant.So to answer your question 30 plants could equal anywhere between the low low low end of 7.5 lbs to the other extreme of 150 lbs if all 30 of your plants are very high yielders and you know what you are doing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 10:11:11 PT Thanks puff_tuff I'll put the link in the next article I post. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by puff_tuff on July 09, 2003 at 10:04:08 PT From Health Canada Interim policy for the provision of marihuana seeds and dried marihuana product for medical purposes in Canadahttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/2003/2003_54bk2.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by John Tyler on July 09, 2003 at 09:42:04 PT last minute stunt This is a last minute stunt simply to please the court. I hope the court will find that this is too little, too late. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 09:19:54 PT One More Comment 30 seeds grown outside could yield a good amount I believe. How much Cannabis could be produced with 30 seeds grown with care and outside? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 09, 2003 at 09:15:35 PT That Means 30 Plants That must mean that if you can buy 30 seeds you will be allowed to have 30 plants at one time doesn't it? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment