Pubdate: Fri, 24 Sep 2010
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2010 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/4VLGnvUl
Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Author: Fiona Isaacson

Justice: Expired Licences

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROTEST AT COURTHOUSE

About 20 people gathered out-side the Simcoe St. courthouse Thursday 
to support a medical marijuana user charged because he's still 
waiting for Health Canada to renew his licence.

Several said they could just as easily end up in court because 
they're in the same situation.

Carrying signs such as "marijuana is medicine" and "Cops + Health 
Canada -Partners in Crime," the protesters said people with expired 
licences shouldn't be considered criminals because it's not their 
fault Health Canada is taking a long time to renew their cards.

They also said they want to erase the stigma associated with medical marijuana.

Vycki Fleming, a patient advocate and medical marijuana user, 
organized the protest. Her card has expired, but she says she applied 
well before the eight-week recommended time frame.

"I just felt adamant that sick people shouldn't be arrested. Even if 
people in Peterborough don't agree with medical marijuana in any way, 
they certainly, I'm sure, would not agree with the waste of our tax 
dollars," Fleming said.

"We're wasting court time that could be used for really serious offenders."

"If my driver's licence expires I can walk into any MTO (Ministry of 
Transportation) office and pay my whatever fines or fees and be given 
a temporary permit on the spot," Fleming said.

Les Petherick, 46, was charged with production of a controlled 
substance and possession of a controlled substance on Sept. 1. 
Petherick's medical marijuana card expired in May and he's still 
waiting for it to be renewed.

Thomas Reilly, 58, who rents a room in the same building, was charged 
with possession of a controlled substance. He said he's a victim of 
circumstance because he's not a medical marijuana user.

Both men made their first court appearances Thursday.

Petherick said Health Canada told him he would be fine if he just 
held onto his expired card.

Medical marijuana licences have to be renewed annually.

Trent University student Jennie Coxwell said she uses medical 
marijuana to ease the pain of Crohn's disease. Her card expired in 
June, but it has been six months since she re-applied.

"If they want to arrest me, there's no way I'm going to be in pain 
for six months every single second of the day. I can't do that," said 
Coxwell, who already has a drug and alcohol counselling diploma from 
Fleming College and a social services worker diploma from Loyalist College.

She said she worked as an addictions counsellor for two years.

Health Canada recently told The Examiner, in an email, that it 
strives to process applications within eight to 10 weeks, but admits 
there've been delays due to a "sharp increase" in new applications.

Petherick and Reilly return to court Oct. 13.

NOTE: Les Petherick is also charged with setting a trap likely to 
cause bodily harm. He told The Examiner last week that the charge is 
ludicrous and a carpenter had recently been doing work at the house 
and was testing a malfunctioning nail gun.... Jennie Coxwell is 
organizing a rally for Oct. 1 in front of Peterborough MP Dean Del 
Mastro's office to protest bill S-10, which includes mandatory 
minimum sentences for all drugs. More money should be spent on 
programs to help people rather than jail people, she said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart