Pubdate: Sat, 23 Nov 2013
Source: Medicine Hat News (CN AB)
Copyright: 2013 Alberta Newspaper Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.medicinehatnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1833
Author: Alex Mccuaig

LOCAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER WORRIED ABOUT 'BULLS-EYE' ON BACK AFTER 
LETTER MAILED IDENTIFYING HIM

A licenced Medicine Hat medical marijuana user says he feels like a 
target has been painted on him after Health Canada sent out letters 
this week identifying him as a program subscriber.

Earlier this week, the department mailed 40,000 letters to medical 
marijuana users across the country, alerting them to major changes 
coming in the program beginning April 1.

But the letters arrived in an envelope that referred explicitly to 
the Medical Marijuana Access Program, with the name of the patient on 
the outside.

The local man, who asked not to be identified, said the outing of his 
confidential health information may now put him at risk from 
criminals seeking his marijuana or unwanted police attention on legal grow-ops.

"We as patients are entitled to our right for privacy," he said.

"When I got my licensing and everything from Health Canada mailed to 
me, it was all done discretely and privately."

But after the letter he received this week, the man said, "I got a 
red bulls-eye painted on my house. Where's my privacy?"

George Da Pont, deputy minister at Health Canada, issued an apology 
on the Health Canada website Thursday, calling the mailout an 
administrative error.

He says the department has been in discussions with the privacy 
commissioner about the incident.

"On behalf of Health Canada, I deeply regret this administrative 
error. Health Canada is taking steps to ensure this does not happen 
again," said the apology.

"Patients are a little upset," said Marcel Gignac, spokesman for the 
Medicinal Cannabis Patients Alliance of Canada Inc. "Health Canada 
put thousands of the most vulnerable at risk."

He said the department has previously used registered mail and 
discreet envelopes that do not spell out the medical marijuana 
program when communicating with patients.

A spokesman for Health Canada said no one was immediately available 
for comment.

The privacy commissioner's office said officials first learned of the 
problem through individuals who contacted them.

"Our office was not notified by Health Canada of this incident," said 
spokeswoman Heather Ormerod.

"We were made aware of it by a number of concerned individuals who 
contacted our office. We have since received complaints and we will 
be investigating this matter."

Health Canada is changing its medical marijuana program to allow 
dozens of approved commercial growers to provide the product to 
licensed patients, while phasing out personal production.

- -With files from The Canadian Press 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom