Pubdate: Sat, 31 Aug 2002
Source: National Post (Canada)
34F1EBFAC81C
Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Tim Meehan
Note: Communications Director, Ontario Consumers for Safe Access to 
Recreational Cannabis.
Toronto

CANNABIS LAWS

Re: Medical Marijuana, A. Anne McLellan, Letters, Aug. 29 (Re: Medical 
Marijuana Plan Still on Track, Health Minister Says, Aug. 27.)

Twenty dollars says this huge announcement that Minister McLellan made was 
predicated by a VERY urgent phone call from her old co-workers in the 
Department of Justice, mentioning that it's very likely that a judge could 
issue an injunction stopping enforcement of ALL cannabis possession laws in 
Ontario.

Because of the Terry Parker ruling by the Supreme Court of Ontario, (which 
was never appealed by Ms. McLellan when she was justice minister), Health 
Canada was to have an effective, workable distribution network for Section 
56 medicinal cannabis consumers by Aug. 1, 2001, or else face legalization 
in Ontario.

Her statements at the meeting of the Canadian Medical Association, 
responding to Kingston, Ont., prohibitionist Dr. Raju Hajela's repetition 
of a discredited medical study, made it quite clear that Ms. McLellan has 
no intention of making it easy for sick people to access their medicine.

Since clinical trials have been completed in the UK and show the 
effectiveness of cannabis in the treatment of a host of illnesses, it can 
only be argued that this half-hearted announcement was an attempt to be 
able to argue the fiction that the cannabis laws are still in effect in 
Ontario when the inevitable legal challenge comes.

Tim Meehan

Communications Director, Ontario Consumers for Safe Access to Recreational 
Cannabis

Toronto
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MAP posted-by: Beth