NEARLY A third of patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned it. Proof, an an activist says, that federal pot isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," Philippe Lucas said. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." Lucas, director of Canadians for Safe Access, said tests commissioned by his pro-pot group found the product contains 5.1% THC not the 10.2% claimed by Health Canada. [continues 51 words]
OTTAWA -- Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof that federal pot isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." [continues 221 words]
OTTAWA -- Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof federal pot isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." [continues 447 words]
OTTAWA -- Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof that federal pot isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." [continues 452 words]
Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product or cancelled their orders, in what one activist sees as proof that federal pot is not worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," Philippe Lucas, director of Canadians for Safe Access, fumed yesterday. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." [continues 179 words]
Product Returns at 30 Per Cent OTTAWA - Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof that federal pot isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." [continues 449 words]
Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof that federal marijuana isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. Mr. Lucas, director of Canadians for Safe Access, said tests commissioned by his lobby group have found the federal product contains only 5.1 per cent THC rather than the 10.2 per cent claimed by Health Canada. Health Canada spokeswoman Catherine Saunders said 29 out of 92 approved users -- 31.5 per cent -- either returned their marijuana or cancelled orders. [end]
Nearly a third of the patients who acquired marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof that federal pot is not worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. Mr. Lucas, director of Canadians for Safe Access, said tests commissioned by his pro-pot lobby group have found the federal product contains only 5.1% THC rather than the 10.2% reported by Health Canada. As well, "It's ground far too fine to actually roll, so you're forced to use it in a pipe and when you do, it burns very black with dark, acrid ash." Health Canada spokeswoman Catherine Saunders said 29 out of 92 approved users either returned their pot or cancelled their orders. [end]
Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an activist who sees that as proof federal pot isn't worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the figures through the federal access to information law. "I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest their testing is off." [continues 120 words]
As a legal user of medicinal cannabis who has tried the government-grown cannabis, I can assure you columnist Susan Martinuk (Gov't wrong to push medical marijuana) is right about its poor quality. Unfortunately, nearly everything else in her column is either wrong or misleading. First, Martinuk states that Canada should not be following the Netherlands in its drug policy because it is a "a land notorious for its expansive population of drug users and abusers." Actually, Holland has a much lower drug-use rate than North America, and although cannabis is de-facto legal and readily available, its rate of both teen and adult cannabis use is significantly lower than our own. [continues 124 words]
Having first heard of Health Canada's proposal to explore the distribution of cannabis through pharmacies a few months ago, the media frenzy around this pilot-project has been a bit of a surprise to me. After continued complaints from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) regarding the short-lived plan to have physicians act as suppliers of the Health Canada grown cannabis, the government had little choice but to turn to the pharmacies. Although it is encouraging to finally see pharmacists recognize the safety and effectiveness of medicinal cannabis, is this plan really in the best interest of Canada's 700 or so legal users, and the public at large who would be funding this expensive pilot program? [continues 847 words]
Having first heard of Health Canada's plan to explore the distribution of cannabis through pharmacies a few months ago, the media frenzy around this pilot project announced last week has been a bit of a surprise to me. Although it is encouraging to finally see pharmacists recognize the safety and effectiveness of medicinal cannabis, is this plan really in the best interest of Canada's 700 or so legal users, and the public at large who would be funding this expensive pilot program? [continues 664 words]
Health Canada confirmed this week that it has a proposal under development to undertake a pilot program where marijuana grown under government contract will be made available through pharmacies to medical marijuana users registered with Health Canada. The move, which, according to press reports, will begin in British Columbia, will make Canada only the second country to provide the herb at the drugstore. The Netherlands began making medical marijuana available through pharmacies last year (http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/301/netherlands.shtml). [continues 1234 words]
OTTAWA -- Health Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies, a move that could rapidly boost the number of registered medical users. Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modelled on a year-old program in the Netherlands, that would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore. Currently, there are 78 medical users in Canada permitted to buy Health Canada marijuana, which is grown in Flin Flon, Man. The 30-gram bags of dried buds, sold for $150 each, now are sent by courier directly to patients or to their doctors. [continues 583 words]
Province First in Line for Medical Marijuana Distribution Trial Project OTTAWA -- Health Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies, a move that could rapidly boost the number of registered medical users. Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modelled on a year-old program in the Netherlands, that would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore. Currently, there are 78 medical users in Canada permitted to buy Health Canada marijuana, which is grown in Flin Flon, Man. The 30-gram bags of dried buds, sold for $150 each, now are sent by courier directly to patients or to their doctors. [continues 683 words]
OTTAWA - Health Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies, a move that could rapidly boost the number of registered medical users. Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modelled on a year-old program in the Netherlands, that would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore. Currently, there are 78 medical users in Canada permitted to buy Health Canada marijuana, which is grown in Flin Flon, Man. The 30-gram bags of dried buds, sold for $150 each, now are sent by courier directly to patients or to their doctors. [continues 689 words]
OTTAWA (CP) - Health Canada plans to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies, a move that could rapidly boost the number of registered medical users. Officials are organizing a pilot project in British Columbia, modelled on a year-old program in the Netherlands, that would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore. Currently, there are 78 medical users in Canada permitted to buy Health Canada marijuana, which is grown in Flin Flon, Man. The 30-gram bags of dried buds, sold for $150 each, now are sent by courier directly to patients or to their doctors. [continues 690 words]
As a federal medical marijuana exemptee, I would like the public to know how I suffer daily because of the war on drugs. I live with excruciating pain due to lack of a good quality, continuous and affordable untainted source of cannabis. As a board member for Canadians For Safe Access and the National Compassion Society, and a public speaker and member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, I try to ensure just that. Our website, the Medical Marijuana Mission, has received more than four million visits from all over the world. If you are serious about stopping all of the crime and uncertainty associated with marijuana use in Canada, tax this plant and put it into a regulated market where people have more controlled and responsible access. Alison Myrden Burlington, Ont. [end]
More than being just a 'social lubricant,' cannabis helps you relax and can reduce the negative side-effects of HIV drugs, in addition to offering a whole host of other medicinal benefits As a teenager, Dom Cramer's anti-drug attitudes would have made any parent proud. He bought into the "Just Say No" government campaigns and the warnings from the police who visited his high school that marijuana was a surefire gateway to more hard-core drugs. Today, Mr. Cramer owns the Toronto Hemp Company, a Yonge Street store that sells everything from hemp soaps and lip balms to rolling machines and "defunk smell remover spray." [continues 1611 words]
Heart Attacks, Cancer, Infertility Linked To Reefer As a teenager, Dom Cramer's anti-drug attitudes would have made any parent proud. He bought into the "Just Say No" government campaigns and the warnings from the police who visited his high school that marijuana was a surefire gateway to more hardcore drugs. Today, Cramer owns the Toronto Hemp Company, a Yonge Street store that sells everything from hemp soaps and lip balms to rolling machines and "defunk smell remover spray." Cramer, now 30, began smoking pot in university, after he stopped believing "all the lies I was taught in high school." He smokes marijuana frequently, although says he can go for weeks or months without it. [continues 1420 words]
