Pubdate: Fri, 24 May 2002 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457 Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/newsgroups.html Author: Alan Findlay Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada) MEDICINAL POT USERS SUING FEDS A lawsuit launched by medicinal marijuana users is aiming to abolish the federal law against possessing and using pot. The group of eight people, including seizure and chronic pain sufferers, are suing the federal government because they say it's impossible to get safe, affordable marijuana for treatment. "Health Canada has perpetrated a cruel hoax on seriously ill Canadians," their lawyer, Alan Young, said. The lawsuit calls for orders from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that would either strike down the federal law against possession or provide medicinal pot users with a safe, reliable and affordable supply such as the massive harvest being grown in Flin Flon, Man., for federal research purposes. One of the people who launched the lawsuit, Alison Myrden, said she spends more than $1,000 a month on pot to help treat facial pain she suffers with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. She has an exception allowing her to legally possess marijuana, but she says it's increasingly difficult to get it through legal channels such as a doctor. Young said the feds have failed to act on a year-old court order requiring them to provide a safe, secure and affordable pot supply. That failure means the entire possession law should be struck down, he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh