cannabisnews.com: Ottawa Pot Plan Unworkable: Doctors 





Ottawa Pot Plan Unworkable: Doctors 
Posted by CN Staff on July 10, 2003 at 09:30:34 PT
By CBC News Online Staff
Source: CBC
Toronto -- Medicinal marijuana advocates say Health Canada's new regulations will make it almost impossible for users to get a legal supply of pot. The federal government will start providing marijuana to about 500 people in Canada who are allowed to use the drug for medical use. Under the new regulations, doctors will be the legal distributors of the drug. But the Canadian and Ontario medical associations have strongly advised doctors not to participate in Health Canada's program, and doctors say the plan isn't workable. 
"I almost don't believe it. I think that things need to be clarified," said Dr. Gordon Arbass, a Toronto doctor who treats AIDS patients. He has signed Health Canada forms for dozens of his patients who need marijuana to gain weight or control nausea brought on by their medication. Arbass said Health Canada did not consult physicians before deciding to give the responsibility of dispensing the drug. "For the majority of physicians, they are going to stay clear from this because they don't want to have any difficulty in terms of theft, burglary, vandalism," said Arbass. The new regulations require patients to sign a form swearing they will not get pot from any source other than Health Canada. But if they doctors aren't willing to provide it, medical pot users could be back where they started, getting marijuana illegally from dealers. Health Canada 'forced' to provide pot The founder of Vancouver's Compassion Club, where about 2,400 members get their medicinal pot, says the new regulations show Health Canada isn't enthusiastic about pot as medicine. "I believe that this is a bit of a smokescreen," said Hillary Black. Black said Health Canada is moving too slowly, and doesn't want medical marijuana to become widely accessible. "Health Canada has been forced every step of the way by court orders. It's not coming from a true intention or a place of compassion or, really, a place of integrity, where they really want to give Canadians access to medicinal cannabis," she said. In January, Ontario's Superior Court said Ottawa's access regulations to medical marijuana were unconstitutional because they don't provide a distribution method for the drug. It gave Ottawa six months to come up with a new policy. The federal government is appealing the Ontario decision. The appeal will be heard at the end of July 2003, said Health Canada spokesperson Cindy Cripps-Prawak. Medical Marijuana: http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/background/medical_marijuana.htmlNewshawk: afterburnerSource: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Published: July 10, 2003Copyright: 2003 CBCContact: letters cbc.ca Website: http://www.cbc.ca/Related Articles & Web Sites:Canadians for Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccess.ca/Vancouver Compassion Clubhttp://www.thecompassionclub.org/Patients Seek Relief On Price of Medical Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16813.shtmlProtesters Slam Move To Sell Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16812.shtml
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