Pubdate: Tue, 16 Jun 2015
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2015 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Page: A8

MR. HARPER'S MARIJUANA PIPE DREAM

THE Harper government is quickly becoming its own satire of the mouldy
propaganda that portrayed marijuana as the road to mental illness,
crime and unemployment.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose, for example, said last week she was
shocked and "outraged" after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled
medical-marijuana users can consume the product in a variety of ways,
not just through smoking.

Of course it was ridiculous for the government to take this matter all
the way to the top court when common sense made the answer obvious.
Why, for God's sake, would the state insist on smoking only, when less
harmful methods, such as baked goods and other products, are available?

If anything is known for sure about the medical risks of marijuana,
it's that smoking is not an ideal method of ingestion. Until now,
however, it was the only legal way to use it for the relief it
reportedly gives to those suffering from a wide list of ailments,
including people receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer or to
reduce the symptoms of epilepsy.

Some 40,000 Canadians are licensed to use pot for health reasons, but
the number was expected to grow after it was decided last year Health
Canada's approval was no longer needed.

Ms. Ambrose says making it easier to use medical marijuana will only
increase its use, even though a doctor's note is needed before it can
be purchased. She said the court decision would also encourage young
people to use marijuana because the drug would be more appealing in
its non-smokable forms.

It's the latest in a series of embarrassing setbacks for the
government at the Supreme Court, which has blocked the Conservatives
on Senate reform and forced it to rewrite Canada's prostitution laws
as well as the prohibition on assisted suicide.

The government's punitive and out-dated stance on marijuana, including
increasing penalties for people who cultivate just six plants for
personal use, seems to be based more on political considerations than
health and social policy.

In addition to attacking the Supreme Court, Ms. Ambrose also blamed
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for encouraging young people to use
marijuana. In fact, Mr. Trudeau has never encouraged anyone to use
weed, but he has come to realize the laws against pot are doing more
harm than good.

There is no doubt smoking pot is not a healthy choice, but then
neither are alcohol, tobacco, doughnuts and a wide range of other
products that people want.

The government's politicization of the debate has even turned off
medical associations that refused to participate in a $6-million
marijuana cessation campaign last year aimed at young people.

That, despite the fact most doctors' association and medical groups
believe marijuana is a health risk for young people. They simply did
not want to be involved in a campaign that seemed to be more concerned
about political gain than genuine health policy.

The Conservatives do not want to consider the fact Canadians have
grown used to the idea of pot as a benign drug when used sensibly. A
survey last year showed 65 per cent of Canadians favour either
legalization and taxation of the drug, or decriminalizing it in small
amounts.

The country under Mr. Harper has actually moved backwards and further
away from Canadian opinion.

As far back as 1972, an inquiry into the non-medical use of drugs
recommended repealing the law against possession and cultivation for
personal use. Separate committees of the House and Senate also
recommended a more liberal approach.

Even the Organization of American States has recommended
legalization.

For ideological and political reasons, however, the Conservatives are
determined to end up on the wrong side of history.
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MAP posted-by: Matt