Pubdate: Mon, 13 May 2002
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Fred Pritchard
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n886/a06.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

DELAY OVER MEDICAL MARIJUANA HURTS ILL

It took the government 15 months and $5.8 million of taxpayers' money paid 
to a private firm to produce and harvest 1,800 kilos of marijuana in an 
underground mine in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

A crop of marijuana from seed needs only four to five months. After the 
crop was harvested and stored for one month, the government announced that 
it will be disposed of.

Yet the government is approving new medical marijuana licences while 
existing medical marijuana users still have no supply. You must be approved 
by your doctor, and a specialist, and then it's sent to some person in a 
cubicle in Ottawa for final approval.

On May 5, I marched in Toronto at the Million Marijuana March. Leading the 
parade were three of Canada's first 14 legal exemptees, approved more than 
two years ago. They still have no supply of or access to clean 
medical-grade marijuana, and must involve themselves with the black market 
or a Compassion Club for supply, which is a direct violation of their 
exemptions and the law.

It doesn't look like they will have a supply any time soon, and those 
opposed to the medical use of marijuana will enjoy hearing what the 
government is doing with their money.

Fred Pritchard,

Windsor,

The Marijuana Compassion Club of Windsor
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MAP posted-by: Ariel