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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (77899)	10/20/2003 11:31:27 AM
From: The Philosopher	Respond to of 82486

Ah, thanks. I had been aware of the decision that the federal government could shut down the medical marijuana distribution centers in California and elsewhere, but I missed this decision. This last decision is at least a gradual step in the right direction.

To: Lane3 who wrote (77899)	10/20/2003 11:48:11 AM
From: average joe	Respond to of 82486

By Mark Kennedy Southam Newspapers OTTAWA: The first crop of legally grown pot is out of the ground and ready to be shipped throughout the country - courtesy of Health Canada - to potentially hundreds of Canadians suffering from medical ailments. The marijuana was grown on behalf of the federal government by a private company, Prairie Plant Systems, at an underground mine in the Flin Flon, Manitoba. The company's president, Brent Zettl, said in an interview Friday that nearly 2,000 plants were harvested in the high security mine. The plants produced more than 250 kg of so-called "medical marijuana" that can now be provided to up to 680 sick Canadians who, so far, have been granted government approval to smoke it for the alleviation of pain and the debilitating symptoms of various diseases. Federal officials said the government has now begun contacting those patients to ask them if they want a share of the government - commissioned supply (under federal regulations, they also have the option of growing their own or having someone else grow the pot for them.) Officials said no one knows how many patients will ask for the Flin Flon pot, but that it's expected distribution of the supply will begin early in the new year. No decisions have yet been made on how the marijuana will be distributed and patients are being asked for their views. Some of the suggestions so far include: sending the marijuana to pharmacies where the patients could get it; sending it to regional government offices, or sending it by courier directly to patients homes. Ultimately, the final distribution plan will have to be reliable, secured, and respect to patients' privacy, said officials. As well, they said the marijuana will not be free. The government hopes to ensure it is affordable for patients, but the final price will partly depend on how many people ask for the pot and the costs of the distribution system. The new regulations, which came into force this summer, allows certain patients with chronic or terminal illnesses to apply to Health Canada for permission to use marijuana. The regulations apply to patients who have less than a year to live; those suffering from AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, severe arthritis or epilepsy, as well as those suffering from other conditions, if marijuana is recommended by two specialists. In each case, the application must be signed by a Doctor, who must, among other things, agree that the "benefits from the applicants recommended use of marijuana outweighed any risks associated with that use." The new rules have drawn fire from the Canadian Medical Association, which says doctors will be forced to prove the use of pot for sick patients even though the research is unclear on side effects. Also, patients have complained the new regulations are even more bureaucratic than the old system in which someone could simply ask for an exemption from the health Minister. But Health Minister Allan Rock, who has spearheaded the medical marijuana initiative from the start, has defended the approach as one which would provide a "reliable and safe source of supply." He says the policy - which is far more liberal than other countries such as the United States - is based on "compassionate" grounds and predicts it will eventually be matched by other nations around the world. Exactly a year ago, the government announced that Prairie Plant Systems would get the $5.7-million contract to grow the pot. Zettl said the contract specified that the marijuana must have a minimum concentration of the active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) of between 5 - 6 percent - a stipulation that critics initially complained would leave patients with a grade of pot which is much weaker than what they get on the street. In fact, Zettl said in his company's first crop has produced concentrations at about twice the minimum level. medicalmarihuana.ca