LEGAL PATHS TO POT

Patients with federal permission to use marijuana to treat their
medical conditions need not worry about being busted, says police
spokesman Wes Bellmore.

"Because the federal rules are so new we're still putting our
procedures together but we'll want to check the validity of their
paperwork," he said. "If it's determined the paperwork shows they are
entitled to be in possession then they won't have a problem."
However, they have to adhere to those rules, he said.

"If you're trying to take advantage of the rules to buy pot from a
street dealer then you will have a problem."

Under the rules that went into effect on Monday, patients with
government permission to use pot will receive a special
identification card.

They can legally possess a 30-day supply of grass.

That 30-day supply will be an amount determined by patients' physicians.

This does not mean they can purchase it from street dealers or
compassion clubs.

Patients can legally obtain pot in one of three ways. They can grow
their own supply using seeds or plants from a federally approved
supplier such as Prairie Plant Systems Inc. of Flin Flon, Man.

That company is growing marijuana in a former underground mine but a
harvest is unlikely before year's end.

They can designate someone else - who also requires a federal
grower's permit - to cultivate the approved pot for them or, at some
future point, they can purchase marijuana from a government-licensed
supplier.