Pubdate: Fri, 22 Feb 2013
Source: Chatham Daily News, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Chatham Daily News
Contact: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/letters
Website: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1627
Author: Diana Martin

LOCALS SICKENED BY PROPOSED POT CHANGES

A capsule filled with cannabis oil the size of a rice grain has 
turned Edith Neuts' life around.

The 50-year-old woman was on an 18-pill-a-day cocktail to deal with 
constant pain, a heart condition, depression, anxiety and high blood pressure.

"It's going on four months now. I've completely weaned myself off 
painkillers and off anti-depressants," said Neuts. "I am currently 
weaning myself off the anti-anxiety medication and I'm back to work full time."

Neuts feels the proposed changes to the Medical Marijuana Access 
Regulations (MMAR) will send her back into a "non-life" because she 
won't be be able to afford the cannabis oil.

Dave Van Kesteren, MP for Chatham-Kent Essex, said the MMAR program 
lacks checks and balances to ensure the criminal element isn't using 
the legalized grow-ops to distribute marijuana.

"Health Canada is studying the effects of how this program has 
worked. They are looking at having grow-ops that would be 
controlled," said Van Kesteren. "They would have the proper 
securities, they'd have the proper licences in place so that we know 
what's going out, what's being used for medicinal purposes."

Joanne, who wished to withhold her last name, is a licensed grower 
and user of medicinal marijuana. She fears her prescription will cost 
upwards of $80 a day if the government switches to corporately run grow-ops.

"My pension is less than what it would cost for me to just get what I 
need for the month to make the oil," said Joanne. "It's going to make 
it unaffordable, unaccessible to everyone, because we're all on disability."

Joanne, 56, suffered for 20 years with debilitating arthritis after a 
lifetime working in a heavy truck manufacturing plant.

A year ago she became licensed to grow her own prescription of 
medicinal marijuana. Six months ago she started using the oil capsules.

"I don't think I can live without the oil; I don't want to go back 
that way," she said. "I feel it's important enough to tell people 
there's a gentle way of getting rid of the pain without having to be 
on these oxycontin and morphine. People need an option."

Van Kesteren agrees medicinal marijuana is working for some people, 
but said the government is concerned about the risk to individual 
growers from groups that would exploit them.

"What are we doing to protect that person even from getting 
approached by a criminal element saying you are now going to give us 
eight plants a month?" said Van Kesteren.

Health Canada has opened up public consultations on the matter until 
the end of March, said Van Kesteren.

"The majority of people I'm convinced are totally legit like Joanne. 
They're making good use of this and it's making a beneficial impact 
on their life and making a real change," said Van Kesteren. 
"Unfortunately, it's gotten a little out of hand and we need to have 
better control."

He said the changes will be taking place in early 2014.

Joanne hopes the government can find a solution allowing the 
individual grow-ops to maintain their status alongside the 
corporately run facilities.

"They need to embrace it, it's here, people want this for their 
health. This is not about getting high, we're not concerned about 
that. People are using it for life-altering changes to get a better 
health," said Joanne. "If they want to have corporations supply it, 
that's fine but don't take the personal grow licences away. There's 
room for both."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom