Pubdate: Tue, 18 Nov 2003
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Copyright: 2003 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: Jana G. Pruden

SGI CLAIM MADE FOR MISSING MARIJUANA

With legal marijuana use taking root around the country, insurance 
companies may be left holding the bag for the cost of replacing a lost or 
stolen stash.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) confirmed that it has received a 
claim for a supply of medical marijuana stolen from the house of a Regina 
resident. The claim may be the first of its kind at Saskatchewan's 
provincial insurance agency since new rules governing the use and 
availability of medical marijuana in the country came into effect last summer.

"If you have home insurance and it's a medical supply, there would be 
coverage," said SGI spokesperson Earl Cameron, who could not comment 
specifically on the Regina claim, but spoke generally on SGI's policies 
regarding the possession of medical marijuana.

"It's no different than prescription drugs. Legal property is covered and 
illegal property is not."

Last July, Health Canada announced it would sell dried marijuana and 
cannabis seeds to licensed medical users, at a price much lower than what 
the drug sells for on the street. The approved users, who now number about 
600 around the country, face a number of restrictions and must get their 
marijuana or seeds from Health Canada.

The replacement cost, and whether the claimant would be paid out in cash or 
with replacement marijuana, would depend on the individual's insurance 
policy and what kind of settlement was reached, Cameron said. As with all 
marijuana for medical use, the replacement drugs would have to be bought 
through Health Canada.

Dave MacLean, provincial director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, 
says his organization takes no issue with the provincial insurance agency 
covering a licensed user's supply.

"We don't see a problem with that, we don't see a difference whether it's 
prescribed Percoset or medical marijuana," he said. "If it's a prescribed 
drug, technically there's no difference between that and any other 
prescription drug. An insurance claim is an insurance claim."

Marcus Davies, communications director for the Saskatchewan Medical 
Association, says the theft proves what his agency-- and its national 
counterpart -- have been saying for a long time.

"This actually bears out one of the issues we raised in the first place, 
the dangers of placing an illegal substance in the hands of a physician or 
at a physician's office," says Davies. "Providing a substance that there is 
a large black market demand for is creating a target. It's very 
unfortunate, but this does put an exclamation point to what we've been saying."

But Sgt. Rob Willis, media liaison officer for the Regina Police Service, 
says city police aren't concerned about the supply of medical marijuana in 
people's homes sparking crime.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart