PHARMACISTS WILLING TO DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA

Alberta pharmacists say they are prepared to distribute pot for medicinal
purposes if a regulated, standard supply can be found.

"We would approach it the same as any other drug," said Greg Eberhart,
registrar of the Alberta College of Pharmacists.

A B.C. colleague is urging the profession to learn about proper doses, side
effects and potential interactions.

Robin O'Brien, a pharmacist at the B.C. Cancer Agency who recently penned a
paper for the profession's trade journal, said she's not necessarily an
advocate of medicinal marijuana, just pragmatic.

On July 30, Health Canada regulations take effect protecting certain
chronic or terminally ill patients against marijuana-related prosecutions.

Patients can apply for permission to grow, possess and use marijuana to
relieve their symptoms. Once they have proven they are eligible, patients
can grow it themselves or find a designate.

"That's silly and unworkable. How can we expect people with less than 12
months to live to grow their own or to know how to obtain good seeds and
buds?" said O'Brien.

About 300 Canadians have been granted permission to use cannabis for
medicinal purposes.

Health Canada spokeswoman Rosyln Tremblay said the government is
cultivating marijuana in Flin Flon, Man. Shipping, distribution details
and costs haven't been worked out.

The initial plan calls for cultivating 185 kilograms of marijuana in the
first year and 420 in the second. About $8 million in government funds has
been earmarked for research and clinical trials.

Tremblay said pharmacists aren't being considered as distributors at this
point because the initiative is in the research phase: "All the touted
benefits of marijuana are purely anecdotal...we intend to spend five years
researching it."

Calgary medicinal marijuana crusader Grant Krieger says he is establishing
the non-profit Grant W. Krieger Cannabis Research Foundation to study the
medicinal benefits of marijuana.