cannabisnews.com: Government To Propose Easier Access To Marijuana Government To Propose Easier Access To Marijuana Posted by FoM on April 03, 2001 at 17:57:19 PT By Dennis Bueckert Source: Vancouver Sun The federal government is set to propose new regulations this week making marijuana more accessible for people suffering from serious illnesses. It's expected the new regulations will address a contradiction in current regulations, which allow people with illnesses to use marijuana but provide no legal route of supply. "When we first announced some time ago that we'd make marijuana available for medical purposes it's because some people believe that for those who are seriously ill or in discomfort it can be of assistance, so it was based on compassion," Health Minister Allan Rock said Tuesday. "The steps we propose in the regulations which will be tabled next week or later this week, will be intended to carry through on that in a very practical way." The proposed changes will likely widen the gap between Canadian policies and those in the United States, where the federal government still sees marijuana as a major target in its "war on drugs." The U.S. government has gone to court to stop the operation of "cannabis clubs" in California, saying there is no medical use for marijuana, contrary to lower court rulings in that state. In contrast, Ottawa intends to comply with an Ontario ruling last year that found the law banning possession of marijuana unconstitutional and gave the federal government one year to amend it. The intention is to get new rules in place by July 31 to comply with a court-ordered deadline, said Catherine Lappe, Rock's press secretary, in an interview Tuesday. The proposed amendments will likely be published in the Canada Gazette this week, with public comment invited for a 30-day period. Currently, people with serious illnesses can apply for exemption from prosecution for growing or using marijuana, and some 210 people have obtained exemptions. Many applications have stalled or been rejected. "There's still a lot of stumbling blocks and bureaucracy involved, even after an application's been supported medically," said Tim McClemont, executive director of the Hepatitis C Society of Canada. Last month, police raided the home of Toronto AIDS patient Jim Wakeford, who has a permit to use marijuana. They seized about 200 cannabis plants he was growing for himself and chronically ill friends. In February two men were charged with trafficking after police raided Montreal's Club Compassion, one of several clubs that have sprung up across the country for medical marijuana users. Michel Perron, chief executive officer of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, said marijuana should be made available with a doctor's prescription. "There's a tremendous amount of anecdotal evidence that . . . there might be some benefits to the use of cannabis for certain conditions," said Perron. "I think the intention of Health Canada is to facilitate access to marijuana on a trial basis to determine whether it is in fact helpful for them (and) to undertake some research into what are the consequences of its use." Reports suggest the new rules would allow a patient who is ill to designate another person as a supplier, which would be a significant step beyond current regulations. Complete Title: Government To Propose Easier Access To Marijuana For The Seriously Ill Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)Author: Dennis BueckertPublished: April 3, 2001Copyright: The Vancouver Sun 2000Website: http://www.vancouversun.com/Contact: sunletters pacpress.southam.caRelated Article & Web Sites:Canada Gazettehttp://canada.gc.ca/gazette/gazette_e.htmlJim Wakeford Medical Marijuana Websitehttp://www.interlog.com/~wakeford/Pot Rules To Exempt Ill, Their Caregivers from Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9251.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by SmashaX on May 23, 2001 at 20:57:47 PT: <moch> My Opinion Drugs Have been here for thousands of years...and humans were here before we knew how to use them..so why can a war be fought over something that was never with us in the beginnging..(easy, the Abuse and the destruction of our own well being)... sure Weed doesn't cause mental damage or it helps people..but, think of the wrong that it does also..people scourge to being drug dealers and make Family and the people they love go threw unsought hardships threw debts and abuse of it..there is a darkside to everything..making it legal would make it better..but, inthe long run it would show catastraphe especially in times of war and the age of econmic development..(the bottom line is this..its not what Drugs do yo your body..its what it does to your soul and your life...take some LSD..then talk to your father and ask him if he cares for u) but, for now untill it does get legal..it promotes a very sateric lifestyle of Tyranny,betrayal and pestillance..so untill the light it shown..Marjiuana should be left in the darkness with the rest of Hell. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Damien Hopper on April 04, 2001 at 13:06:48 PT: My opinion I think that the government needs to stop spending so much money on this lost war on drugs. Weed, cocane, opium, mescaline, peyote, and lsd are just some of the drugs that have been around for hundreds of years! Is the government going to stop something that comes from the ground? I don't think so and I think that the money there spending on trying to stop it should probobly be spent on correct imformation for our youth. I know as well as everyone else that my kids as well as your kids will some day be face with a person asking them if they want to try this (extacy) or any other addictive drug like that. See what I want is for my kid to look at that person and ask him what has this drug done to your life? Or to just know there self that the drug is addictive and dangerous! Marijuana has proven itself time time again to be non-dangerous and in some cases benaficial to some, so I believe we are wasting precious time and money on a non-addictive non-dangerous drug and once again spending more tax dollars on a substance that isn't going away!!! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: