Pubdate: Sat, 05 Apr 2014
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Jim Bronskill
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL POT PATIENTS LAMENT CHOICE

Those Who Grow for Pain and Other Medicinal Purposes Fear They Must 
Go Without or Break the Law

They might have a temporary reprieve, but pain stricken Canadians who 
grow their own medical marijuana say they could soon face a difficult 
choice: go without the weed they need or break the law to get it.

A Federal Court judge recently granted an injunction that allows 
thousands of patients to continue cultivating their own marijuana at 
home, or designate someone to grow it for them - at least until their 
legal challenge of planned new rules can be argued more fully.

But the federal government is determined to change the system, even 
if Tuesday's full fledged launch will be delayed.

"Health Canada does not endorse the use of marijuana," said 
department spokeswoman Sara Lauer, indicating federal officials 
administer a medical pot program only because the courts have said 
there must be reasonable access to the drug.

"The previous program was open to serious abuse."

Growing marijuana at home introduces hazards including mould, fire, 
toxic chemicals and the threat of violent theft by criminals, Health 
Canada says.

The number of people authorized to possess - and often grow - 
marijuana under the old regime rose to almost 38,000 this year from 
fewer than 100 in 2001.

The government argues that figure is likely to jump dramatically, 
compounding the problems that plague a program that cost $16 million 
to run in 2011-12.

It plans to allow only select commercial producers - 12 have been 
licensed to date - to grow marijuana under "secure and sanitary 
conditions" for distribution by mail to medically approved patients.

If the courts ultimately reject the legal challenge to the plan led 
by several home growers, anyone other than a licensed producer 
cultivating pot would be breaking the law.

Licensed firms are offering marijuana at between $5 and $13.50 a 
gram, with at least three offering "compassionate pricing" for 
clients on a fixed income, as low as $3 a gram, Lauer said.

"The regulations introduce conditions for a competitive industry and 
it is possible that the prices will fall over time in response to 
competition and innovation."

One company, Mettrum, says clients who qualify for provincial or 
federal income assistance, or have an annual income below $30,000, 
can receive a 30 per cent discount on the first 30 grams of medical 
marijuana they buy each month.

Still, some patients argue the new system will deny them a safe, 
affordable supply of the particular strains of marijuana that make 
their often-debilitating conditions bearable.

Alison Myrden of Burlington, Ont., says it costs just pennies for her 
designated grower to produce the more than 100 grams of marijuana she 
needs each day to relieve symptoms of multiple sclerosis and 
trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder of the nervous system that causes 
especially intense discomfort. Myrden, 50, says she simply cannot 
afford to switch to a licensed producer to meet her medicinal needs.

"It's for the people who have money," she said.

"The government has not taken that into consideration - that the 
majority of these people, including myself, are on full disability 
and completely marginalized."

A former Ontario correctional officer, Myrden is very much used to 
playing by the rules. "I don't want to break the law." Others say 
they will have little choice if the Federal Court upholds the new system.

Neil Allard, who helped spearhead the legal challenge, says in a 
court filing it could cost about $200 a day - $72,000 a year - to buy 
the marijuana he needs to get relief from symptoms of his serious 
neuro-immune disorder.

Currently the Abbotsford man grows his own supply for between $200 
and $300 a month.

Allard, 59, says even at $5 a gram it would cost him "more than my 
monthly income," adding he likely will have to "seek out a black 
market product" that is less expensive.

David Hebert of Surrey, the designated grower for his wife Tanya, 
faces a similar dilemma.

He says it costs just 50 cents a gram to supply her with the two to 
10 grams she consumes a day to control nausea, violent vomiting and 
pain from diabetes.

Hebert has told the court he looked online at the marijuana available 
from licensed producers and found the prices too steep.

"Consequently if I am no longer able to produce for Tanya at a 
reasonable cost, we will have no alternative but to try and seek out 
alternative medicine through the black market or illicit market to 
assist her," he says in an affidavit.

"This is something we have always tried to avoid and concerns me 
insofar as our safety and security is concerned."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom