Pubdate: Fri, 15 Nov 2002 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Richard Watts CITY PUSHES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA DECISION Today is International Medical Marijuana Day, but Victoria city fathers accuse the federal government of failing to enter the spirit of the occasion. Mayor Alan Lowe said Thursday he was happy to sign the proclamation. After all, the city passed a resolution last April calling for changes to the federal marijuana laws, especially for people with incurable medical conditions. The city's proclamation encourages "everyone to act with tolerance, compassion and understanding towards individuals who need cannabis to relieve their pain and symptoms from permanent medical problems." But Lowe said he is getting a little miffed with Ottawa's foot-dragging on accepting an invitation from the city to come and explain its position on medical marijuana. "We've been trying to get them here for the last four to six months," said Lowe. "We want more information about what the federal government is doing about this issue." In its most recent reply, received this month, the federal government said it couldn't send anyone until next year at the earliest. Ottawa has announced it will examine whether marijuana should be allowed for people who suffer from certain illnesses. Some people have been given special permission to smoke it, but routine possession and trafficking remain illegal. Proponents of the medical use of marijuana maintain it can reduce or eliminate the seizures associated with conditions such as epilepsy. They say it can stimulate appetites for patients suffering nausea from chemotherapy or from HIV. And it can just act as a relaxant for people in dire medical straits. But proponents also object to the federal government allowing marijuana for medical use on the one hand but keeping its routine possession or distribution illegal. Ted Smith, now running for mayor of Victoria, is facing some half-dozen trafficking charges for distributing marijuana to people he says require it for medical reasons. Smith said that the city's proclamation making today International Medical Marijuana Day will help force the federal government to deal with its own legal contradiction, "It means Canada will have to either hail us as heroes or treat us as criminals." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom