Pubdate: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2003 The Calgary Sun Contact: http://www.fyicalgary.com/calsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67 Author: Stephanie Rubec, Ottawa Bureau FEDS HOPE TO FIELD NEW POT GROWERS OTTAWA -- In a bid to boost the availability of pot, the feds have softened medicinal marijuana rules. Health Canada announced yesterday that it's OK to pay a licensed grower for their weed. And the department also cut down on the red tape in the application process. It now only requires a patient to obtain the recommendation from one medical specialist -- not two. Health Canada spokeswoman Catherine Saunders said the move responds to an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in October that criticized the federal medicinal marijuana program for making it too difficult to get access to pot. By striking down rules that require a licensed grower to provide medicinal marijuana for free, Saunders said Health Canada hopes more people might be willing to cultivate the crop. "It might make it more available when you compensate the licensed grower," she said. There are no changes to the rule that licensed growers can only provide pot to one user and a maximum of three people can pool their resources to grow medicinal marijuana, Saunders said. The feds provide 30 seeds for $20. Dried marijuana also is sold for $5 a gram -- about $10 cheaper than it goes for on the street. Health Canada has approved 697 Canadians for possessing marijuana for medical purposes and another 530 people are allowed to cultivate pot. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake