cannabisnews.com: Medical User Gets His Weed





Medical User Gets His Weed
Posted by CN Staff on August 27, 2003 at 07:10:34 PT
By Nicholas Keung, Staff Reporter
Source: Toronto Star 
Jari Dvorak was thrilled when he was called into his doctor's office in Toronto yesterday to pick up a Health Canada package he'd been waiting for — and begging for — for more than seven years.When he finally saw the two golden plastic bags, each filled with 30 grams of medical marijuana, his eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.
The 62-year-old retired engineer started using marijuana in 1996 to help cope with nausea and side effects from medications for HIV infections, the virus that causes AIDS. He's been asking the government for legal access to the drug since then.Yesterday, Dvorak finally smoked his first official joint since a legal victory last January, when the Superior Court of Justice struck down federal restrictions governing access to medical marijuana on constitutional grounds. Dvorak was one of 11 plaintiffs in that case. Yesterday, the drug was delivered by the health department through a Flin Flon, Man., lab contracted to the government."I look at the red maple leaf sign on the package and I feel so proud of Canada. It has a table of contents and an expiry date. It doesn't just look like a legal medication. It is a legal medication," said Dvorak, still inspecting the bags lying in front of him on a coffee table."Marijuana has helped me ease my pain and the pains of others with medical conditions. It's a big day for us. It's big step forward for Canada."The Ontario court gave Ottawa six months to come up with a way of ensuring sick Canadians have access to the drug — including the possibility of setting up a regulated distribution system. The court ruled it's unconstitutional for the government to force seriously ill people to break the law in their attempt to obtain marijuana. Although about 580 Canadians had been granted licences to use marijuana for medical reasons, they had no official channel to buy it.The government filed an appeal with the Ontario Court of Appeal, which was heard in July. The appeal court's ruling is expected to be released sometime in September. In the meantime, federal health officials established an interim distribution program, as required by the lower-court's ruling. Health Canada said it received 25 applications for the interim program, which was launched last month, and has reviewed 14 of those files. Dvorak was among four applicants across Canada who received medical marijuana from their physicians yesterday. There has been no decision in the other 10 reviewed cases.To qualify for the program, they must return their licences to possess and grow marijuana. The government-issued drug is $5 a gram, half the price of street marijuana, Dvorak said."There are a lot of misconceptions that medical use of marijuana is just a smokescreen, but for people like myself and those with multiple sclerosis, suffering from spasms, it really helps us to ease our pain," said Dvorak, who was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1988.Alan Young, a York University law professor and one of Dvorak's lawyers, was delighted with the news but said, `It's not a great system yet."They don't make the (application) process that simple."All applicants are required to submit supporting letters from a physician and two lawyers, and patients say most doctors are reluctant to write the letter.Note: Marijuana sent by Health Canada Toronto man gets first official pack.Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)Author: Nicholas Keung, Staff ReporterPublished: August 27, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Toronto Star Contact: lettertoed thestar.com Website: http://www.thestar.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/Canada Patients Get Government Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17161.shtmlToronto Man Expresses Relief as He Picks Up Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17160.shtmlToronto Man Picks Up Medicinal Pot from Doctorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17157.shtml
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Comment #26 posted by E_Johnson on August 28, 2003 at 09:58:42 PT
Let's do the math, something stinks real bad
The prison guards are so poor that they need a big raise in the middle of a budget crisis where entire state college departments are being closed and tenured faculty terminated?If they are so poor that they desperately needed this raise, then where did they get the millions of dollars they needed to become the largest political donors behind the Governor?Where did they get the money to hold conferences for state legislators at luxury resorts on Maui?And another thing, why is it so easy to get drugs in the state prisons?Davis and this union were both against Prop 36, which provides treatment instead of incarceration for drug defendants.MAYBE Prop. 36 is why the prison guards need a raise so desperately?????The sooner Gray Davis is flushed from the Democratic Party, the better.
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Comment #25 posted by E_Johnson on August 28, 2003 at 09:53:18 PT
Sam Adams
How many of the other 49 governors have as their largest political donor the state prison guard union?That says a lot about what has happened to the Democratic Party in California.The LA Times did a great story on the wealth and power of the prison guard union.They had a "conference" on "issues in corrections" at a lavish muxury resort on Maui and gave free trips to the "conference" to "interested" state politicians.A luxury resort on Maui?THis is a DEMOCRAT? Backed by a prison guard union that holds conferences at luxury resorts on Maui?If I had a more delicate constitution, I would faint right now. I swear.
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Comment #24 posted by E_Johnson on August 28, 2003 at 09:47:19 PT
I heard that Flynt is a porn addict
I heard that Larry Flynt has an actual addiction to porn, in the sense that he doesn't do much else anymore but watch it. I heard that from someone who was involved with the film about him and spent a lot of time around him. He may have backbone, but his life revolves too much around his other bone for me to see him as a serious Governor. 
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Comment #23 posted by Sam Adams on August 28, 2003 at 07:55:55 PT
Arnold
Great, I didn't realize he had smoked in Pumping Iron. We'll see what's left of his socially liberal instincts after he runs the political gauntlet between now & November. He's going to have to make all sorts of promises to Republicans donors & power brokers between now & then.The funny thing about California is that Gray Davis is merely doing exactly what all other 49 governors do.  LEO and corrections budgets are often under special protected status during budget cuts. The Prosecutors are even more sacrosanct - they're like the government "Untouchables". I challenge anyone to name a more powerful political agent than prosecutors.  The media worships them, as all sensationalist violence & crime news comes from the DAs.In my state, the first move to cut costs was to lay off 255 social workers. The main thrust was to cut local funding to cities & towns, with the goal of getting localities to clamor for a state tax increase.  Corrections and law enforcement weren't even considered in the first few rounds of budget cuts, due to special protections built into state law.  Cutting health and human services fits into the plan perfectly; the resulting crime wave in 5 years will enable LEO to get even more money to put even more newly minted criminal in prison.America is the Prison State. The mentality pervades every state. Prisons are number one, everything else is secondary. The ghost of Willie Horton lives on. The Republican Party should give the guy a medal or something.It's OK, this has all been tried before. Just go check out the starving former Soviet Union if you want to see what's waiting for us at the end of the line.
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Comment #22 posted by Motavation on August 28, 2003 at 03:03:16 PT:
GOVERNOR FLINT
Talking about backbone. Multi-Billionaire Larry Flint has stated on record he supports legalizing all drus and prostition. He's got the fight in him.If you had any backbone, you'd support him too.
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Comment #21 posted by E_Johnson on August 27, 2003 at 22:56:54 PT
Karen Tandy and the Terminatrix
I saw T3, and now I have this picture in my mind of Karen Tandy as the evil Terminatrix who is vanquished by the Terminator in the movie.Hey they're both tall blonde machines who hurt and destroy everything in their paths and will do anything to get to their victims.It would be so nice to have a Governor who could protect us from that wretched wench!
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 22:37:34 PT
EJ It Sure Could
I hope MMJ gets as much press as the other issue that are being talked about. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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Comment #19 posted by E_Johnson on August 27, 2003 at 22:13:58 PT
He will at least pressure the Democrats
I think Arianna would be doing a lot better if Bustamente hadn't entered the race.About her taxes, the government doesn't allow people to pay taxes that they do not owe. That was GOTCHA journalism without any thoughtful analysis behind it at all.But another good thing about having Arnie in the race supporting medical marijuana is that it gives Bustamente a challenge to top him.
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 21:47:54 PT
EJ You Could Very Well Be Right
What you said makes sense to me. I would like Arianna to be Governor but she can't beat Arnold. His ratings are very high and Arianna's are very low. I think she would have done better but they cornered her about not paying any taxes and made a big fuss about it.
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Comment #17 posted by E_Johnson on August 27, 2003 at 21:36:07 PT
Just a thought....
Now technically I am an Arianna supporter, I donated to her online already.But just politically speaking, having a Republican Governor in Sacramento who openly supports medical marijuana could give us more of a defense from Bush than we have right now in Gray Davis.Maybe the DEA would back off raiding the Terminator State. Maybe Arnie could stand up to them with some real backbone.Just a thought...I disagree with him on many issues to be sure, but leaving the pot smoking scene in Pumping Iron showed some backbone.
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 21:32:58 PT
Article from The New York Times
Schwarzenegger Is Pressed for His Views on Social Issues: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread17166.shtml
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Comment #15 posted by E_Johnson on August 27, 2003 at 21:06:10 PT
One thing to be glad for
Hopefully Gray Davis will thrown out on his behind, and the prison industry will have lost their number one son in California government.How can a man who fires teachers and gives prison guards a raise be considered a liberal and be defended by liberals? There's something really wrong with that.
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Comment #14 posted by E_Johnson on August 27, 2003 at 21:01:48 PT
He had a chance to cut that scene
I heard that Arnold was advised by some people to cut the pot smoking scene from the reissue of Pumping Iron, which he could do since he owns the prints apparently. Arnold could have made that pot smoking scene disappear but he chose to leave it in, that's what I heard.
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 21:01:08 PT
ekim
My opinion is it doesn't matter who will do the best job but who has the most money to spend to get elected. We need serious change in that area.
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Comment #12 posted by E_Johnson on August 27, 2003 at 20:58:46 PT
Arnold's views
Arnold appeared on the Tonight Show twice in pro-pot contexts. The first time, he wore a hemp bracelet that some hippie girl made to support the troops in Iraq, one of whom was her brother.On Leno last month he joked about being in the Green Room before the show with Snoop Dogg and said "You don't have to smoke a joint back there." Then he joked about having the munchies.When Snoop came out, he seemed to be pretty baked. He also seemed to be pretty pleased by the idea of Arnie as Governor.Of course according to their public statements, both of these men -- Arnold and Snoop -- admit to having used marijuana in the past but claim that they no longer use it now.Hahahahaha
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 20:57:05 PT
Sam
I never saw Pumping Iron. Actually I don't think Arnold is good looking. All those muscles looked weird to me. I liked him in the Terminator but he was a machine! LOL! Yes he smoked marijuana in Pumping Iron. I don't know how people that have ever been part of our culture can just turn their back and forget what it was like to be young and feel free to experiment. It's beyond me.
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Comment #10 posted by ekim on August 27, 2003 at 20:50:41 PT
please Arainna get Gov. Johnson
to be your AG. then we will see who is who.---and the dean machine what a joke. ----- why nothing about Denis the men-is cause he is for change. its not about being a dem or gop its bout being human. dean should know that---he took the oath- now who will say who Denis should have for his AG--how about Ralph
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Comment #9 posted by Sam Adams on August 27, 2003 at 20:37:06 PT
Arnold
Because he's a Republican.If I'm not mistaken, "Pumping Iron" featuring marijuana smoking...has anyone seen it? Did Arnold partake? I know he's admitted using steroids also.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 19:59:31 PT
DeVoHawk 
I haven't found an article that just addresses Arnold S. serious views on medical marijuana. I want to know why he supports medical marijuana. Is it because it is politically correct for him or does he really care? What does support mean? Why is he not supporting marijuana legalization too?
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Comment #7 posted by DeVoHawk on August 27, 2003 at 19:30:14 PT:
The Plant or Pharmaceuticals
After being flimflammed by Rep. Dennis Moore (Kansas) who said he supported Medical Marijuana I have to ask this silly question. Does Arnold support medical marijuana or does he really mean patented pharmaceuticals like Dennis Moore the POS who claims to represent me?Once again, a former user of marijuana who is successful yet does not want it legalized, another POS. It is strange that when he was in the greatest condition in his life he smoked marijuana but does not think others should do so!Does he know that it possesses super powers like the reader of CN?POS = Piece of Sh__.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 18:22:55 PT
Arnold Schwarzenegger on the Issues 
DRUG LEGALIZATION* Said drug legalization was "a bad idea" but he supported legalized medicinal marijuana. Complete Article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/08/27/state2110EDT0180.DTL
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Comment #5 posted by mayan on August 27, 2003 at 17:42:54 PT
Unrelated...
Here is an article regarding the Afghan heroin which is flooding Russia...Russia fights 'heroin attack':
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3182891.stmThe way out is the way in...So Many Deaths, So Few Answers - The Second Anniversary of 9/11:
http://www.counterpunch.org/krieger08232003.htmlThe "Alleged" 9/11 Hijackers: 
http://groups.msn.com/JusticePeaceDemocracy/yourwebpage1.msnwNothing Urgent - The Morning of 9/11:
http://nypress.com/inside.cfm?content_id=5693More 9/11 Links:
http://www.geocities.com/sept11links/
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on August 27, 2003 at 16:15:40 PT
i420
Yes he sure did say he was for Medical Marijuana. I haven't found an article that says more then he is for MMJ but as soon as I find one with some detail I will post it. 
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Comment #3 posted by i420 on August 27, 2003 at 15:12:50 PT
Medical Arnold??
Arnold came out for legalizing medical marijuana on Lou Dobbs tonite.
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Comment #2 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on August 27, 2003 at 12:09:08 PT:
PEACH WITH HEMP FOR FUEL . NOT FOSSIL FUEL WAR!!
The September 11, 2001, airplane crashes, the war in Iraq, and the concealment of the truth by the newspapers and television from the American sheeple, are part of the plan of the Bush/Rockefeller/Vatican Illuminati, for global control of our fuel, IRAQI COMMANDER SWEARS HE SAW USAF FLY SADDAM OUT OF BAGHDAD, by Bill Dash, www.100megsfree4.com/farshores/sc04bd.htm, as part of the Pentagon's War against Dissent, HORRIFYING US SECRET WEAPON UNLEASHED IN BAGHDAD, by Bill Dash, www.100megsfree4.com/farshores/sc04bd.htm; to prevent us from living free from government control, which would easily be done thru the use of Hemp for fuel. See, e.g.:
www.hempcar.org; Shadow of the Swastika, www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html.Why shouldn't be believe it was state-sponsored terrorism? The Bush and Rockefellers financed Adolph Hitler. See, e.g., www.tarpley.net; Shadow of the Swastika, supra. These government supremacists have lied their way to power since they coaxed the colonies to sign the Constitution with the promise of a Bill of Rights, which, by the way, was put together after the people rose up in arms as Congress wanted to instead revise the tax laws. See, e.g.: Hologram Of Liberty, www.javelinpress.com.Richard Paul Zuckerman, Box 159, Metuchen, N.J., 08840-0159, richardzuckerman2002 yahoo.com, (Cell telephone number)(908) 403-6990; Member of: www.normlnj.org; www.norml.org; www.cannabisculture.com; www.hightimes.com; www.aclu-nj.org; www.greenparty.org; www.njlp.org; www.jpfo.org; www.njmilitia.org; www.dav.org; www.fija.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 College of New Jersey [presently named Kean University], Union, N.J., 1987.
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on August 27, 2003 at 09:02:10 PT
Ah, yes it always comes down to this.....
"All applicants are required to submit supporting letters from a physician and two lawyers, and patients say most doctors are reluctant to write the letter."Lawyers! They've taken over our government. The more laws, the better. More lawyers! more laws is ALWAYS the answer for our government, because they're almost all lawyers. Take a look at the campaign contributions for any Democrat or Rebublican, and law firms are a HUGE contributor to all. You want to use that plant over there because you're sick? Get down on your knees and give the lawyers all the money you have. Then maybe we'll think about it. There really are 2 Americas. One for the people that can afford massive legal fees, and one for everyone else. All the prohibition laws are passed by people that know they're in group #1. No matter what happens, they can always give a bunch of money to lawyers to get out of it.
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