CITY PUSHES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA DECISION

Today is International Medical Marijuana Day, but Victoria city fathers
accuse the federal government of failing to enter the spirit of the occasion.

Mayor Alan Lowe said Thursday he was happy to sign the proclamation. After
all, the city passed a resolution last April calling for changes to the
federal marijuana laws, especially for people with incurable medical
conditions.

The city's proclamation encourages "everyone to act with tolerance,
compassion and understanding towards individuals who need cannabis to
relieve their pain and symptoms from permanent medical problems."

But Lowe said he is getting a little miffed with Ottawa's foot-dragging on
accepting an invitation from the city to come and explain its position on
medical marijuana.

"We've been trying to get them here for the last four to six months," said
Lowe.

"We want more information about what the federal government is doing about
this issue."

In its most recent reply, received this month, the federal government said
it couldn't send anyone until next year at the earliest.

Ottawa has announced it will examine whether marijuana should be allowed
for people who suffer from certain illnesses. Some people have been given
special permission to smoke it, but routine possession and trafficking
remain illegal.

Proponents of the medical use of marijuana maintain it can reduce or
eliminate the seizures associated with conditions such as epilepsy. They
say it can stimulate appetites for patients suffering nausea from
chemotherapy or from HIV. And it can just act as a relaxant for people in
dire medical straits.

But proponents also object to the federal government allowing marijuana for
medical use on the one hand but keeping its routine possession or
distribution illegal.

Ted Smith, now running for mayor of Victoria, is facing some half-dozen
trafficking charges for distributing marijuana to people he says require it
for medical reasons.

Smith said that the city's proclamation making today International Medical
Marijuana Day will help force the federal government to deal with its own
legal contradiction, "It means Canada will have to either hail us as heroes
or treat us as criminals."