cannabisnews.com: Ottawa Criticized Over Pot Raids Ottawa Criticized Over Pot Raids Posted by FoM on April 13, 2001 at 10:54:07 PT By Daniel Leblanc Source: Globe and Mail Ottawa was chastised yesterday for allowing police raids against growers of medicinal marijuana and for taking too much time to study requests from sick Canadians who say pot would ease their pain. The government is moving to offer people with specific illnesses controlled access to marijuana, but it was criticized by a Federal Court judge and a B.C. group for creating confusion in the meantime. Earlier this week, the RCMP raided a production facility in Richmond, B.C., that supplied marijuana to sick users. Police seized 2,200 plants, 10 boxes of mature bud and an M-16 rifle. The owner said he had a production permit, while the RCMP said he had only a research permit. Hilary Black of the B.C. Compassion Club Society said police should not be seizing marijuana destined for sick users. "Health Canada is accepting us as legitimate on one side, and police are persecuting us as illegal on the other," she said. Ms. Black said Ottawa should declare an amnesty until it has implemented a coherent system allowing ill Canadians to use marijuana. About 220 people have received an exemption to smoke marijuana legally for medical use, but she said that tens of thousands of others could benefit from the plant's powers. The drug is used to alleviate the symptoms of various illnesses, including muscle spasms, seizures, severe pain, nausea, weight loss and anorexia. In an Ottawa courtroom yesterday, Mr. Justice Paul Rouleau condemned a recent raid on a marijuana user. Robert Neron suffers from cervical dystonia, which gives him neck spasms and forces him to wear a brace to support his head. He said three doctors have approved his use of marijuana for medical purposes. Mr. Neron told the court that he made his initial application to Health Canada for a marijuana exemption on Jan. 8 and that police raided his home the next day. "I feel like a criminal. . . . A normal person shouldn't have to put himself in a situation like this," Mr. Neron said in court. Judge Rouleau said that such raids are unnecessary. "That should not happen." He also offered to step in to help speed up exemption applications with Health Canada. Judge Rouleau told Mr. Neron and another applicant, Johnny Dupuis, that while he could not grant them the exemption, they should give Health Minister Allan Rock a firm 30-day deadline to reply to their request. If Mr. Rock fails to do that, Judge Rouleau said, the two men could come back to court and he would compel the minister to respond. A Health Canada spokeswoman refused to comment on the court case until further review. Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Daniel Leblanc Published: Friday, April 13, 2001 Copyright: 2001 The Globe and Mail Company Contact: letters globeandmail.ca Website: http://www.globeandmail.ca/ Related Article & Web Site:The Compassion Clubhttp://www.thecompassionclub.org/Medical Pot Farm Bustedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9346.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Canada-Medicalhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=canada+medical Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by FoM on April 13, 2001 at 21:56:36 PT What's Meant For Bad Will Turn Out For Good! Hiya Hempity,You sure are welcome. I told my husband when he got home what happened it he said he is so sorry too. I hope I don't miss an important article about this. I am not familiar with the Canadian sites so please let me know if there is one that should be posted about this terrible situation. Good Luck and God Bless, My Friend, FoM! My Canadian Link Page [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by hempity on April 13, 2001 at 21:36:12 PT we have a "cannabis production" permit Hiya all,Thanks for posting this FoM.Our RCMP have learned lying from the DEA.We have a production permit, I will ask the lawyer if we can put it on the net.1800 of the plants were clones, the M-16 was a 25 year old .22 cal rusted reproduction, and it was ten strains not ten boxes.And they are still pointing guns at the children [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: