CANADIAN DOCTORS QUESTION MARIJUANA FOR MEDICINAL USE

Quebec - Two leading medical bodies in Canada have expressed grave concern
over the federal government's plan to have doctors dispense marijuana to
patients for medicinal use.

The Canadian Medical Association (the national body representing Canadian
physicians) and the Canadian Medical Protective Association, which protects
doctors against litigation, have seriously questioned the proposal, which
was announced on 9 July. The Canadian Medical Association has advised
doctors not to participate in the programme, and some doctors say it isn't
workable.

At the same time, the federal government, forced by an Ontario provincial
court ruling to come up with a dispensing plan, is itself unhappy with what
it has produced. It calls the plan an "interim" policy that could be
suspended at any time. Health minister Anne McLellan says the government is
not convinced of the medicinal benefits of marijuana and will support
clinical trials starting this autumn.

The federal government issued regulations three years ago approving
medicinal use of marijuana, but these were ruled unconstitutional and
invalid last January by an Ontario court because they failed to resolve
issues relating to the source and supply of the drug. The provincial court
gave the federal government six months to resolve these issues. The interim
policy was the answer to that demand. The federal government plans to
appeal the Ontario court's decision by the end of July.

An internet statement on 11 July from the Canadian Medical Association says
the federal government's interim policy "does nothing to address patient
safety issues."

"Since the government has not made the case for the safety of the medical
use of marijuana, the CMA [Canadian Medical Association] strongly
recommends that the physicians of Canada not participate in dispensing
marijuana under existing regulations, and warns that those who do, do so at
their professional and legal peril," it says.

Dr Gordon Arbass, a Toronto physician who treats patients with AIDS, was
quoted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as saying that the federal
health department did not consult physicians before deciding to give them
the responsibility of dispensing the drug.

"For the majority if physicians, they are going to stay clear from this
because they don't want to have any difficulty in terms of theft, burglary,
vandalism," he said.

Under the interim policy, the 582 Canadian patients who have met
requirements of the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations will be allowed to
buy 30 marijuana seeds for $C20 (UKP8.90; $14.60; 12.90) and grow them for
medical purposes. They will also be able to buy a gram of dried marijuana
for $C5 ($C140 for an ounce). The Royal Canadian Mounted Police say black
market marijuana sells for $C300 to $C750 an ounce. Physicians' approval is
needed for people to meet the medical access requirements.

The seeds and marijuana will be provided by a company in Manitoba under
contract with the federal health department to produce the substance for
clinical trials. It has a consistent active ingredient of 10%
tetrahydrocannabinol and will be sent to physicians who have signed a
patient's application form.