cannabisnews.com: Gov't Wrong To Push Medical Marijuana





Gov't Wrong To Push Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on April 01, 2004 at 19:48:14 PT
By Susan Martinuk, Special To The Province
Source: Province
Government-certified marijuana is coming to a pharmacy near you. Mind you, it's not exactly topnotch stuff and it's not clear that it has any medical benefit. About 700 Canadians currently have a doctor's OK to use marijuana for chronic pain, nausea or to stimulate appetite. But the government is convinced there are even more people who would use it -- if it provided better access and reduced regulation. Hence, the weed goes to drugstores and prescriptions aren't necessary.
Canada is the second country to push medical marijuana. Not surprisingly, Netherlands is the other -- a land notorious for its expansive population of drug users and abusers. Logic suggests it isn't the best country to serve as a model for our drug policies.There are reasons galore to re-consider this policy. The government acknowledges that the pot is of uncertain potency. It's not standardized, so Health Canada is essentially pushing potential safety issues aside and putting an unapproved drug on the market. Isn't that what government regulations are supposed to prevent?Note: Susan Martinuk is a Vancouver broadcaster and freelance writer. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/push.htmSource: Province, The (CN BC)Author: Susan Martinuk, Special To The ProvincePublished: Wednesday, March 31, 2004Copyright: 2004 CanWest Interactive Inc. Contact: provletters png.canwest.comWebsite: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/Related Articles & Web Sites:Canadians for Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccess.ca/Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmMedical Marijuana: How To Acquire and Distributehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18562.shtmlHealth Canada's Reefer Madnesshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17376.shtmlHealth Canada Medical Marijuana Could Be Betterhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17348.shtml 
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Comment #3 posted by Virgil on April 02, 2004 at 20:31:47 PT
That did not come out right
Comment2 says cultivation is dead. It is r=the prohibition of cultivation that is dead. The ruling in Hitzig says 7.1 if the CDSA is dead in Alberta and that would apply to all of Canada. An Alberta judge threw up what may be a roadblock that could be removed by submitting a request by Hitzig, but even if it actually prevents cultivation in Alberta, it does not apply to the rest of Canada.A doctor's recommedation means a person can cultivate. Turmel says a person can have 7 years supply because a person can bank material for the day they cannot grow for themselves. This can mean that overgrow the government means to bring acceptance of the true value of cannabis- that a seed can save your life, peace of mind, and wallet. The true medical value of cannabis is that it can be free and a Miracleplant that has no cost is the greatest value in the world, inside or outside of medicine.Jack Layton is a man of good sense that is a straight talker that will lead the NDP to new gains in the upcoming elections. He has called on Canada to think green on the environment and his level-headed approach to Free Cannabis just makes millionaire Martin of cruise ship fame look like the representative for the plutocracy that he is.Cannabis is quasi-legal in Jamaica and the enlightened areas of Canada. It will be fun to see them confer and see when they withdrawal from the stupid UN treaties. I do not think Ireland is even a signatory, so it may well be the first country in the world to Free Cannabis For Everyone. 
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Comment #2 posted by Virgil on April 02, 2004 at 12:42:33 PT
Garbage out and no garbage in
GIGO means Garbage in, garbage out. Here we have garbage out hoping someone will let the garbage in. Not me. Richard Cowan speaks extensively on this issue of cannabis going to the pharmacy and says it is the BC medical professionals embarrassing the rest of Canada to do something- http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2584.htmlEven though there will be few customers for this product with the quality and price obstacles, what is eventually desired is an affordable product that works. Cannabis is a non-lethal, non-toxic approach that should be tried first instead of the addictive, deadly, and sickening pills the pharmaceutical industry pushes with their commercials, salesmen, lobbyists, and our Congressmen. Just getting it into the pharmacies is a big deal as once the path is created, it can be improved on.I am as confused as anyone on the laws in Canada but from Turmel I believe a doctor's recommendation will protect a person from prosecution. Actually, I believe that a diagnosis of things like MS and AIDS will protect you as the Canadian Medical Association has coerced physicians into abstaining from recommending cannabis. That protection without a doctors recognition may require a good lawyer though. The issue with the MMAR of denying access is still valid as long as the physicians are pressured into political abstinance on the issue.The MMAR was regulation from Health Canada that now have some interim plan with the courts still calling for access and Health Canada screaming all the way as they are yanked into reality. The MMAR was denying access as the CDSA was what called for prohibition. When the MMAR denied access the courts said then access will come by stopping the prohibition created under the CDSA and now there will be access.The Ontario rulings that called for resurrecting a law that was declared dead is still dead according to some as the Courts do not have legislative powers. That is why there is the push to pass a new law- because there is no valid law stopping possession. There is a point that Turmel raises on cultivation. This is an extremely important point as it is in the ruling from the Canadian Supreme Court that came on December 23. #11 says cultivation in Hitzig is dead in Canada from an Alberta ruling with the exception that might apply to Alberta because of a stay that Hitzig could remove. It is a big point and not discussed but by Turmel as far as I can see. It is worth reading Medpot groups to explore and you can go backwards from this insightful thread- http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MedPot/message/1157
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Comment #1 posted by ron on April 01, 2004 at 20:45:36 PT
Susan is a Presstitute Pro 
"Netherlands"...a land notorious for its expansive population of drug users and abusers". Wow! Maybe someone else can suggest a proper comment for this inane slur on a country that has shown wisdom in dealing with this essentially harmless activity. I'm speechless."Logic suggests it isn't the best country to serve as a model for our drug policies."She has a nerve bringing up logic. No doubt she thinks the proper model is the USA.CN readers might recall that after Marc Emery and five hundred people lit up outside the parliament buildings in Ottawa last September, The Province didn't think it worthy of reporting. Instead, the following day,they ran a puff piece on DARE.
 
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