Pubdate: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Forum: http://forums.canada.com/~canada Author: Joel-Denis Bellavance CLINICAL TRIALS OF MARIJUANA WILL NOT HALT ARRESTS OF TERMINALLY ILL Law remains the same Police officers will continue to arrest terminally ill Canadians who are growing and smoking marijuana even though Allan Rock, the Health Minister, has approved clinical trials on the medical use of the drug. The federal government has not instructed the RCMP to refrain from laying charges against patients who use marijuana to fight the symptoms related to their disease. "The law remains the same for now," said Derek King, a spokesman for the health minister. Mr. Rock announced on Wednesday that his officials will conduct clinical trials on the medical use of marijuana to determine whether the drug can help relieve medicinal side-effects for patients being treated for terminal illnesses such as AIDS and cancer. No timetable has been set yet, but Mr. Rock said scientists will gather evidence "as soon as possible" and develop appropriate guidelines for the medical use of the drug and to provide access to a safe supply. Eugene Oscapella is a founding member of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy, which supports the decriminalization of many drugs for medical purposes. Yesterday he blasted the Liberal government for not showing more "compassion" toward terminally ill patients. "This is appalling," said Mr. Oscapella. "The word compassion seems to be lacking from the vocabulary of this government." Mr. Oscapella said that Mr. Rock has the power, under section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and the Substances Act, to exempt any person from the application of the law. "Why doesn't the minister do that?" Mr. Oscapella said. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck