cannabisnews.com: B.C. To Ottawa: This Bud's for You





B.C. To Ottawa: This Bud's for You
Posted by FoM on May 06, 2000 at 20:59:41 PT
By Ken MacQueen, Vancouver Sun
Source: Vancouver Sun
Health Canada calls for tenders to supply high-grade medical cannabis. British Columbia's multi-billion-dollar pot industry has a chance to go legit with the news Friday that Health Canada is calling for tenders to supply high-grade medical marijuana. 
Announcement of the long-awaited tender was greeted with elation by Hilary Black, founder of Vancouver's Compassion Club Society. The three-year-old club operates in a legal grey zone, supplying medical marijuana to more than 1,000 members with such diseases as AIDS, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. "We've been waiting for this," Black said Friday. "That's great that the bid is finally out." Brian Taylor, the former mayor of Grand Forks, called the news a huge economic opportunity for the province and a chance to rehabilitate the reputation of so-called B.C. Bud. Taylor has worked for more than three years to establish the Cannabis Research Institute in Grand Forks, designed specifically to supply medical marijuana for the Canadian and export market. Critics have called him a dreamer or a criminal, but Taylor was feeling a sense of vindication Friday, saying his company, which is being underwritten by a private share offering, is well placed to bid for the five-year contract. "This calls for a whole different way of looking at B.C. pot," he said in an interview from Grand Forks. "Instead of it being bike gangs and Asian gangs and police intrusions, this potentially is a major market for B.C. The reputation has been established illicitly, but it could be maintained in a [legal] marijuana market for medical purposes." B.C.'s reputation for high-quality marijuana has earned it international criticism from U.S. and even United Nations drug enforcement agencies. The Organized Crime Agency of B.C. says there are 10,000 illegal growing operations in B.C., producing an annual crop worth more than $3 billion for consumption and export. The government-sanctioned marijuana will be used for clinical research trials to gather scientific evidence on its safety and effectiveness in treating medical conditions. Some seriously ill people say the drug, when smoked or eaten in foods such as brownies, can ease symptoms of many diseases. Black says those at the Compassion Club find the drug can ease pain, cut nausea, reduce the shaking of spastic or degenerative diseases and stimulate appetites, among other benefits. Health Minister Allan Rock has issued legal exemptions to several dozen seriously ill Canadians, allowing them to use the drug. However, until now, he has not acted to provide a supply for the ill or for research. The contract calls for a "reliable source of affordable, quality, standardized marijuana products" for clinical trials. The supplier would have to grow and store the product, manufacture it into cigarettes and distribute it to "recipients authorized by Health Canada." Black said she hopes the Compassion Club will be able to share in the supply, after years of relying on growers who put themselves at considerable legal risk. Taylor, gambling on the potential of medical marijuana, has already acquired land, and established a plan to grow both outdoor and hydroponic organic marijuana. He also has an extensive security plan in place to ensure the crop isn't stolen from the fields or hijacked on the way to market. "B.C. needs this new industry," he said. "If we allow this to slide into the hands of Quebec or an Ontario market, I think we've made a real mistake." He called Health Canada's announcement the start of "a more sensible approach" to marijuana. The bids must be submitted to Ottawa by June 6 and a crop must be ready within a year. But Taylor was taking a few minutes to celebrate. "I've waited so long, I'm going to savour it," he said. "I'm going to have a glass of wine and sit down." Today, Vancouver cannabis activists have organized a "millennium marijuana march" starting at 2 p.m. at the Vancouver Art Gallery at Georgia and Howe and proceeding to Stanley Park. The event, including music, face-painting and a pot seed giveaway, is part of an international effort to end the "global pot prohibition" against medical or recreational use of the drug. Ken MacQueen Vancouver Sun: With files from Southam News Published: May 6, 2000The Vancouver Sun and Pacific Press © 1997 Related Articles & Web Sites:Health Canadahttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/Universal Compassion Centerhttp://www.drugsense.org/ucc/Canadian Compassion Centres http://www.drugsense.org/ucc/universallinks.htmlLiberals Out To Hire Marijuana Merchanthttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread5633.shtmlMJ Growers Sought, Experienced Need Not Apply http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread5621.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by sdas on August 11, 2001 at 10:31:50 PT:
dsad
i wish we could build a wall from the damn americans pollution and anit drug ways
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Comment #1 posted by Paulette on May 25, 2001 at 10:03:52 PT:
bc bud & the DEA - The Fifth Estate show May 24/01
I really hope that BC pot growers have an opportunity to go legit, because after viewing the Fifth estate I was horrified at the way the RCMP and DEA were working together with open wire taps and tracking devices and the DEA listening into our Canadian wire taps. I've only had parking tickets, 1 or 2 in 35 years and I'm not supporting drug traffickers in any way. However, when we have a brilliant international lawyer like Bolton telling us how wrong it is for the American's to bully their way into our country like they have been doing - we have to take a stand on this issue and not let the Americans infringe on our Canadian citizens the way that the DEA has done. It all comes down to money & politics with the DEA and RCMP and I feel that the DEA has gone way to far by entraping that man to come to the border for his truck and then arresting him by gun point - I'm sure the RCMP could have given him a heads up or something - why aren't our RCMP doing more about the Americans who bring up cocaine & heroin to Canada - (which in my opinion are the evil drugs) - the busts have declined in Canada since the DEA are calling the shots in our Country and with our Police - its again just another sad note on the "BULLIES" below us. How safe I feel that the RCMP can pay a cocaine dealer $444,000.00 for being a marijuana snitch and also infecting many canadians to the world of addiction (yes we all have free choices) but come on - we put the wrong guy away - oh excuse the Americans put the wrong Canadian in jail and protected the scum of the earth - aah yes another fair day in our Country - what would we do without the strong arm tactics of the DEA. Their guns are way bigger than ours - it's not like they haven't got a problem in their own country - they need to push their way around our Country and our RCMP are helping them not Canadians.There was some reference in the Fifth Estate about a Texas Senator trying to close the American/US Border to curb the drug problems and make us illegal aliens and treat us as poorly as they do the Mexicans - He is insulting our intelligence, our heritage, our Conservatism, our love of our country. Super Power or Super Bully - Nobody likes a bully. American's need to clean up their terrible problems, their drug war should begin in the home not in Canada - DEA GO HOME.
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