Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jul 2013
Source: Oshawa Express, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Dowellman Publishing Corp
Contact:  http://www.oshawaexpress.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5299
Author: Lindsey Cole

NEW REGULATIONS CHANGE MARIJUANA ACCESS PROGRAM

Oshawa resident and medical marijuana user Marko Ivancicevic says the
new regulations pertaining to medical marijuana may appear to
streamline the process, but underneath it all it's just smoke and mirrors
=2E

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq recently announced new
regulations that will change the way Canadians access medical
marijuana, and Oshawa's MP is right on board with the new rules,
stating it will only benefit Canadians on the whole.

Under the new regulations, production will no longer take place in
homes. The idea is to treat marijuana like other narcotics used for
medical purposes. However, instead of going to a pharmacy to fill a
prescription of sorts, only a licensed producer, approved by Health
Canada, will be able to ship out marijuana to those with legitimate
medical documents from a medical practitioner. Currently, those with
proper licences can grow their own medical marijuana if they so
choose, but this will no longer be an option.

Canada's health minister says since its introduction in 2001, Health
Canada's Marihuana (sic) Medical Access Program (MMAP) has grown from
under 500 authorized people to more than 30,000 today. Because of this
increase, there have been "unintended consequences for public health,
safety and security as a result of allowing individuals to produce
marihuana in their homes."

Under the new regime, entitled the Marihuana for Medical Purposed
Regulations (MMPR), individuals will not be required to give their
personal medical information to Health Canada. Instead, health care
practitioners will be able to sign a medical document that allows
patients to purchase the right amount that's related to their
condition from a licensed producer.

"While the courts have said that there must be reasonable access to a
legal source of marihuana for medical purposes, we believe that this
must be done in a controlled fashion in order to protect public
safety," says Minister Aglukkaq. "These changes will strengthen the
safety of Canadian communities, while making sure patients can access
what they need to treat serious illnesses."

Ivancicevic says he takes medicinal marijuana to cope with the pain.
He suffers from scoliosis and a condition called Fibula Hemilelia,
where there is essentially an absence of the fibula he explains,
adding he has had multiple surgeries to deal with this.

He says he doesn't think the new regulations are going to be of a
significant benefit to those who need medical marijuana.

"It's going to be streamlined yes," Ivancicevic explains, and it looks
easy enough on the surface, but in truth it's not going to be so
simple. "The problem that they're going to run into is I've heard from
a lot of doctors who don't know what's going on. The problem that I
see, because there's no coordination=C2=85there could be a potential
disaster. They could hinder the ability to get their
prescriptions."

As a member of the Oshawa Accessibility Advisory Committee (OAAC), he
says these views are his own, but he, along with several others, have
tried to get the discussion on the floor locally in order for people
to better understand the need for medical marijuana.

"This is something that has been going on for a number of years," he
explains as he has sat on a number of panels and committees to shed
some light on the health benefits of medical marijuana. This recent
government move, he states, doesn't really help anyone.

"It did nothing to address the concerns with our rights. Again,
they're taking more rights away then they're giving back."

According to a synopsis published on the Canada Gazette website, there
will be an economic impact to the new regulations.

"The main economic cost associated with the proposed MMPR would arise
from the loss to consumers who may have to pay a higher price for
dried marihuana," it reads. "The analysis assumes a price increase
from an estimated $1.80/g to $5.00/g in the status quo to about
$7.60/g in 2014, rising to about $8.80/g, with a corresponding average
annualized loss to consumers due to higher prices of approximately
- -$166.1M per year for 10 years."

However, while there may be a cost to consumers, the benefits listed
include less risk posed by marijuana cultivation in homes,
administration costs, and a benefit to producers because of a higher
market price.

"On average, the estimated total annualized benefit is $149.8M per
year," the statement continues.

MP Carrie says it's important to keep all of these benefits in mind as
overall it is a step in the right direction.

"I think it's important the government treat it like any other medical
product or pharmaceutical. There's no grey area," he says, adding with
the old way you could grow it yourself, designate someone to grow it
for you etc. but this caused problems with grow lights, mold and left
law enforcement puzzled at times. "The municipalities and law
enforcement didn't know who was legal and who wasn't."

For Oshawa Mayor John Henry, "the fact the federal government is
talking about it," is a positive step for those who use medical marijuana
=2E

"There are a number of residents in Oshawa and Durham Region who
currently have medical marijuana licenses. They are an active group.
They have utilized Memorial Park to get their message out there," he
says referring to Cannabis Day, which took place in 2010 at Memorial
Park and saw supporters rally together to get their points across. It
has become an annual event and this year takes place on July 6.

"I don't know if it will eliminate the work for the police department.
They're putting some perimeters in place to help police. What this is
it should help those who need to utilize the drug solve some problems.
They're getting what they need in a clean, non-contaminated product."

MP Carrie did reiterate this move by the federal government wasn't a
step into legalizing it altogether.

"You want people that legitimately need it. We're going to make all
the sites restricted," he says. "At the end of the day it's a much
better system."

According to the federal government, both medical marijuana programs
will operate concurrently until March 31, 2014. Effective April 1,
2014 Health Canada will no longer produce or distribute medical
marijuana and the new regime will be implemented.

For Ivancicevic, the idea of putting medical marijuana solely in the
hands of "licensed producers" takes away the freedom for those who may
have wanted to grow their own strains - that and there is no telling
how these producers will be chosen, he says.

"It's not going to happen from within the premise. They're going to
make it (the process) so arduous," he explains. "At the end of the
day=C2=85it's not going to be the best people getting these licenses to
produce. That's just my opinion. It's not going to be viewed as a
valid medicine. Marijuana is still not considered a medicine."
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MAP posted-by: Matt