cannabisnews.com: Turmoil Continues in Office of Medical Pot 





Turmoil Continues in Office of Medical Pot 
Posted by CN Staff on July 16, 2003 at 16:00:59 PT
By Dennis Bueckert, Canadian Press 
Source: Canadian Press 
Ottawa -- Health Canada's medical marijuana program seems gripped by chaos after the departure of its boss, Cindy Cripps-Prawak. Cripps-Prawak left her job as director of the Office of Medical Access last week, Health Canada spokeswoman Jirina Vlk confirmed Wednesday. She is the second senior official to bail out on the marijuana program. Dr. Greg Robinson, who is also an AIDS patient, resigned from Health Canada's advisory committee because of what he described as inconsistencies in the access program. 
Cripps-Prawak's move last Friday came two days after the department introduced a plan to distribute medical marijuana through doctors' offices. The interim plan was introduced in response to a court ruling that patients had to be given some legal means of obtaining the drug and has criticized with equal vehemence by doctors and patients. The Canadian Medical Association has strongly advised doctors not to participate. Vlk said Cripps-Prawak had been promoted to a job in another department, and her move had nothing to do with the new plan: "It was decided many months ago that she was leaving." But Robert Goyer, chairman of Health Canada's advisory committee on medical marijuana, said he was not surprised that Cripps-Prawak had left. "Quite frankly, I wonder why would anybody stay in that job so long," he said. Critics have frequently questioned Health Minister Anne McLellan's commitment to the medical marijuana program set up by her predecessor Allan Rock. She has said she doesn't believe Health Canada should be in the business of distributing cannabis, and has indicated the distribution will end if her department wins its appeal of the Ontario court ruling. Goyer, professor emeritus of pharmacology at the University of Montreal, cited many problems in the program and says it needs to be "re-engineered." That is the general view of members on the 17-member advisory committee, he said. Minutes from the advisory committee's meeting in February refer to the "need for profound changes to medical marijuana access regulations." Goyer said he was saddened by the departure of Robinson, a medical doctor who uses marijuana to treat loss of appetite due to AIDS. "I hoped with my heart and my soul and brain that he would postpone his resignation," said Goyer. "My heart was bleeding." Philippe Lucas of Canadians for Safe Access said the program is a mess. "I'm sure that nobody in that program right now is enjoying the work that they're doing," said Lucas. "They're either having to deny incredibly sick people medicine, or they're being forced through the courts to supply it unwillingly." Dana Hanson, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said doctors would be more supportive if all people receiving cannabis were enrolled in clinical trials. "I think it's a missed opportunity. Everyone could learn from this as to the pros and cons." Complete Title: Turmoil Continues in Office of Medical Pot as Director QuitsSource: Canadian Press Author: Dennis Bueckert, Canadian Press Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Site:Health Canadahttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/Toronto MD Quits Medical Marijuana Committeehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16873.shtmlMD Resigns From Health Canada Over Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16870.shtmlCanada's Cannabis HIV/AIDS Study Suspendedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16643.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on July 17, 2003 at 11:47:27 PT:
MY LETTER TO CONGRESSMAN PALLONE
Today, Thursday, July 17, 2003, I personally delivered a prepared letter asking for the decriminalization of Marijuana, to the "legislative office" of Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., who is the only member from New Jersey of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health. This letter had a heavy duty staple attaching the letter to various documents printed from www.cannabisnews.com, www.cannabisculture.com, www.hightimes.com, on the studies supporting medical Cannabis. AT LEAST I TRY!! I don't simply sit around griping that one vote does not make a difference!! I write and telephone State Legislators and Congresspeople asking:[1] FOR DECRIMINALIZATION OF CANNABIS;[2] AGAINST FUNDING THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
$100 million which they want to use for militarization of police in the spirit of Operation Garden Plot ["to assist local law enforcement"], to develop non-lethal weapons so they can continue to provoke violence at protests to douse us with non-lethal weapons, while military personnel wait at the hospitals to jot down notes on the harmful effects of the nonlethal weapons, using us as human experiments, an attempt to quash our Right to dissent, to force their corporate agenda down our throats, especially for the Republic National Convention coming to New York City next year;[3] VOTE AGAINST FUNDING THE UNITED NATIONS, which supports "The New World Order", because the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not have a freedom of speech [we can't talk about abortion], does not have a Right to keep and bear arms, does not have a Right against unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant, does not have a Right against self-incrimination, DOES NOT HAVE A TRIAL BY JURY. In short, falling under United Nations rule would enslave us![4] To improve the curriculum of government school so that the students are taught the dark side of government, to offer students martial arts and weapons training, so that they become fully informed, competent, citizens upon graduation. See, e.g., www.johntaylorgatto.com; 10 U.S.C. Section 311 [defining the "unorganized milita" as every able bodied male between 17 and 45 years of age].[5] To repeal most of the gun laws, for the reasons stated in www.jpfo.org, e.g.: (a) every genocide of the 20th century began with gun control laws, (b) Adolph Hitler killed more people who were NOT Jewish, (c) most crimes are committed by criminals who obtained firearms under the table, (d) the government is immune from civil liablity for failure to show up at the scene of a crime, (e) drug laws are used to obliterate our Second Amendment Rights.Today, I also e-mailed Senator Biden to thank him for setting the DEA straight on the RAVE Act.Richard Paul Zuckerman, Box 159, Metuchen, N.J., 08840-0159, (Cell telephone number)(908) 403-6990, richardzuckerman2002 yahoo.com.Member of: www.norml.org; www.normlnj.org; www.cannabisculture.com; www.hightimes.com; www.fija.org; www.jpfo.org; www.greenparty.org; www.njlp.org.Diploma in Paralegal, New York University, 2003;Diploma in Truck Driving, Smith & Solomon School of Truck Driving, Edison, N.J., 1995;B.A. in Political Science, Kean University, 1987.
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Comment #11 posted by Jose Melendez on July 17, 2003 at 10:21:32 PT
Kerry: "I guess" Lieberman: "Probably&qu
from: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1075/a04.html?397Kerry noted that Massachusetts passed a bill allowing the very ill to use marijuana. But a spokesman for his state's public health department said that the despite the law, the program "has never gotten off the ground because we've never been able to obtain a federally approved source of marijuana." 
The Candidates On 'MM'
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Comment #10 posted by Jose Melendez on July 17, 2003 at 07:52:13 PT
Drug Board Founder Faces Perjury Charge
from: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1074/a08.html?397...As president of the Wisconsin Certification Board, (William) Olcott had a hand in deciding who could enter the profession, what jobs they could perform and whether they were living up to a code of conduct. But now it is Olcott's conduct that is being called into question in a felony criminal case in which he is accused of claiming college degrees that he does not have. (snip)..."I can prove that he perjured himself." - District Attorney James Camp Olcott was booked on the felony charge June 9 by the Green Lake County Sheriff's Department and was released on his own recognizance.  He is due back in court Aug.  4 for a preliminary hearing. If convicted, he faces a maximum prison term of 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000. The case has stunned colleagues who describe Olcott as a respected pioneer in the field of alcohol and other drug addiction ( AODA ) treatment in Wisconsin. "It's a very shocking thing," said Racine drug counselor and psychotherapist Lester Higgenbottom. "He's part of that old guard," said Larry Kane, president of Wisconsin Community Mental Health Counseling Centers Inc.  "He helped to create and give legitimacy to the whole AODA community." See Also:http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n929/a03.html?1348http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1551/a05.html
Top Drug Counselor Faces Perjury Charge
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Comment #9 posted by afterburner on July 16, 2003 at 23:39:56 PT:
Kegan Made It onto Pot-TV
High Society - Mommy's Funny Medicine http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2070.html
High Society with David Malmo-Levine http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse2070.ram 
Running Time: 7 min 
Date Entered: 16 Jul 2003 
Viewer Rating: 6.66 (2 votes) 
 
Number of Views: 138 
 
David Malmo-Levine talks chats with Russell Barth, the author of "Mommy's Funny Medicine" - a book created to explain medical marijuana to children.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 16, 2003 at 23:19:21 PT
Thanks afterburner
That makes sense. I think what Marc Emery has been saying is right. Maybe if feathers get ruffled legalization will happen with approval from your government and then all of you will really win. 
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Comment #7 posted by afterburner on July 16, 2003 at 23:04:22 PT:
FoM - Check This Out from the Previous Message
"9. On May 14, 2003, one day before Justice Minister Martin Cauchon was to announce the projected new marijuana 
legislation, the Appellant, in order to demonstrate that the Parker court's invalidation of the prohibition in the CDSA had taken effect, took 3.277Kg of marijuana to Parliament Hill and was arrested for possession for the purpose of trafficking pursuant to section 5(2) of the CDSA. 10. On May 15 2003, the Minister delayed his legislation. 11. On May 16 2003, Justice Rogin sustained the decision of Judge Phillips that the MMAR had failed to comply with the Parker's Court's ruling and that the prohibition on 
marijuana possession in the CDSA was no longer known at law since Aug. 1 2001. 12. On May 26, the accused moved to quash the indictment on the grounds that the prohibition on marijuana was 
invalidated for all sections by the Parker Court's ruling, 
not just possession. Justice Aitken disagreed and dismissed the motion to quash. 13. On May 27, 2003, the Justice Minister introduced the new move draconian legislation to the House of Commons. PART IV - ISSUE: 
----------------14. The invalidation of the prohibition on marijuana in the section 4 of the CDSA also invalidated the prohibitions in the other sections too. S.4 says it is an offence to possession anything on 'Schedule II of banned substances.' Section 7 says it is an offence to cultivate anything on 'Schedule II of banned substances.' Section 5 says it is an offence to possess for the purpose of trafficking anything on the 'Schedule II of banned substances.' 15. On Aug. 1 2001, the day on which three Superior Court 
judges have found that the invalidation of the prohibition 
on the possession of marijuana in the CDSA by the Parker 
Court to have taken effect, there was only one way for the 
publication of the new legislation to reflect that fact. 
Since marijuana is not mentioned in the CDSA sections 4, 5, 7, but only on the Schedule II of banned substances, the invalidation of the prohibition can only be effected by the deletion of the word 'marijuana' from Schedule II of banned substances. There is no other way for the invalidation to have effect given the state of the out-of-date legislation. 
PART V -- ORDER SOUGHT: 
-----------------------16. Appellants seek to have the May 26 2003 decision of 
Justice Aitken overturned and an Order pursuant to Rule 
601(1) to quash the indictment for the defect apparent on 
the face thereof that discloses no offence known to law. 
Dated at Ottawa on July 14 2003 
Appellant
John C. Turmel"
-- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MedPot/message/919This legal logic is the same underlying Marc Emery's Summer of Legalization Tour.ego transcendence follows ego destruction, like tomatoes and lettuce, cannabis is a legal plant.
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Comment #6 posted by afterburner on July 16, 2003 at 22:25:19 PT:
Fascinating Piece from Georgia
Good reggae music, Loretta Nall, Gatewood Galbraith -- Kentucky Governoral candidate who speaks about the natural cycle vs. the synthetic cycle, and newsclip on prohibition vs. med-pot.Stoner Show: Atlanata Georgia Pot Festival http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2067.html
Stoner Show with Pot-TV http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse2067.ram 
Running Time: 40 min 
Date Entered: 16 Jul 2003 
Viewer Rating: 7.47 (3 votes) 
 
Number of Views: 187 
 
"Atlanata Georgia Pot Festival set to the music of Stress Relief International with Guest Speakers Loretta Nall and Gatewood Galbraith."ego transcendence follows ego destruction, the spirit of '76 is still alive and well in parts of the USA.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 16, 2003 at 21:56:50 PT
Virgil
I looked at the message but I don't understand it. I've heard the name but I don't know who he is. Is he doing something in court? That's what it seems like.
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Comment #4 posted by Virgil on July 16, 2003 at 21:49:11 PT
Really could be hell to pay
Pot-tv has the July 14th video of Marc Emery after returning to Vancouver from being arrested in Winnepeg and Regina- http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2062.html Now what Marc Emery is saying is that the Supreme Court on July 30, 2000 gave the government 365 days to come up with a workable MMJ program. They did not and on August 1, 2002 all the cannabis laws became void. The May 16th decision that seemed to end cannabis prohibition did not end it as the guidelines were given and the time frame were given by the Supreme Court and the legislature did nothing to comply. The May 16th ruling just confirmed that that the laws were already dead and did not all of a sudden cross a time barrier. Now if Emery proves his beliefs in court, there will be one price to pay to those arrested after the deadline came without appropriate response. The prohibitionists would also see their media silence and the general confusion completely erased and at the same time their beloved prohibition crusade will be a bad memory.John Turmel is the man I want to read tomorrow and see what was on his mind when he went into the Parliament Building last week with 7 pounds of cannabis and got arrested. People might not like Turmel's ego but he has guts and savvy and a website that he throws a huge volume of words to the world. Anyway his last post is here and the one thing we can count on is he has said plenty in the last few weeks- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MedPot/message/920 
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Comment #3 posted by mayan on July 16, 2003 at 18:16:26 PT
Hell to Pay
"I'm sure that nobody in that program right now is enjoying the work that they're doing," said Lucas. "They're either having to deny incredibly sick people medicine, or they're being forced through the courts to supply it unwillingly."The sick and dying are the ones who are suffering the most from all of this foot dragging. There will be hell to pay for those who would deny a dying person the only medicine that brings them relief. At least the masses are finally being enlightened to just how inhumane the prohibitionists are...and what their true agenda really is. The cannabis plant is exposing the hypocrisy & corruption of the powers that be(with our help). Prohibition will die a slow death, but slow change is lasting change. Might as well enjoy the show!The way out is the way in...Withholding Funding and Documentation, the Bush Administration is the Major Roadblock for the 9/11 Commission. Why?
http://www.interventionmag.com/cms/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=447Paul Thompson's Complete 9/11 Timeline:
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/9/11 Prior Knowledge/Government Involvement Archive:
http://www.propagandamatrix.com/archiveprior_knowledgeBLOOD IN THE WATER - Watergate II - by Michael C. Ruppert:
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/071503_watergate_II.html 
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Comment #2 posted by afterburner on July 16, 2003 at 18:13:59 PT:
Found: a Second Canadian Website with Free Seeds
The obvious mishandling of the distribution of medical cannabis seeds by "Health" Canada through unwilling doctors has led to at least two free seed offers for exemptees. One is Marc Emery Direct Seeds. Do a search for the other. Clones may also be available. Compassion Clubs are getting increasingly verbal to fill the gap of information and "product."ego transcendence follows ego destruction, overgrow the government.
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Comment #1 posted by Petard on July 16, 2003 at 17:04:38 PT:
Why not bailout in protest?
I don't know the laws in Canada, and I'm no attorney, but here in the U.S.A. if the board of directors fails to meet every month the business/enterprise is denied it's legal status as a viable entity (varies depending on which state of incorporation as to how many missed meetings). Could be a way to force revamping the system up North if the board refuses to meet?? Not resign from the board, just resign oneself to not attend the meetings. Anne McLellan wouldn't notice probably since she is only listening to the voices in her own head anyway.
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