Pubdate: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 Source: West Carleton Review (CN ON) Contact: 2015 Metroland Website: http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/westcarleton-on Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4769 Author: Derek Dunn MOTHER OUTRAGED BY HEALTH MINISTER'S COMMENTS ON MARIJUANA RULING The Conservative Party of Canada faces more challenges scoring political points with its base over drug laws now that a court has ruled patients have a constitutional right to consume medical marijuana derivatives. The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled that medical marijuana users can consume edible medical marijuana products such as cannabis oils, teas and brownies. That means six-year-old Liam McKnight of West Carleton does not have to smoke joints to help ease the frequent and severe seizures he experiences as a side effect of his rare form of epilepsy. His mother, Mandy McKnight, did not force him smoke pot; so until June 11 she broke the law by giving him estimated doses in derivative form. McKnight has been an outspoken advocate for her son's health and the plight of others for the past two years. "It's pretty unbelievable. It's a huge relief," McKnight said. "We are no longer committing a crime for making Liam's medication. I'm hoping this will open the door for a lot of kids." That remains to be seen. Federal Health Minister Rosa Ambrose told reporters she is "outraged" by the decision and accused the supreme court of luring young people toward marijuana use. "This expansion of a pre-existing court-imposed program to now include cookies and candies makes marijuana more attractive and accessible to youth and reflects Justin Trudeau's campaign to legalize and normalize marijuana," she said in a prepared statement. Ambrose added that MPs should be making drug-related decisions, not unelected judges. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has appointed seven of nine judges on the supreme court. McKnight has shied away from the politics of medical marijuana, saying it should be seen as a health issue that people of all political stripes should support. But when it comes to the Conservatives oversimplifying an issue that plays well with its base of anti-pot members and cash contributors, she turns the tables. "She's outraged? I'm outraged that my son should have had to smoke joints for the last two years," she said. "This is not about legalization. This is about sick Canadians having access to a medication." The Conservatives have long maintained no scientific studies have backed up the anecdotal evidence. (That is also true of Aspirin and many other medications.) The Government of Canada long ago could have conducted studies, but has refused. "Even my 10 year old gets it," McKnight said, adding the party refuses to believe the existing evidence because obfuscation and deflection works to delaying a better outcome for Liam. The government fought the case all the way to the highest court in the land. Local MP Gordon O'Connor has long avoided comment to Metroland Media on the McKnight family's situation. Observers say the party has refused to accept the benefits of medical marijuana on patients like Liam McKnight because the opposite - Trudeau as too light on drugs - works well in fundraising campaigns with party members and supporters. Meanwhile, McKnight is hoping medical marijuana companies will take over her role as oil producer. That way her son can have safe, reliable and tested medicine. "Just like any other medication." Ambrose vows to continue to fight against what she sees as an illicit drug. "We have to continue to get the message to Canadians that this... is not a medicine. There are very harmful effects of marijuana, especially on our youth." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom