ACTIVIST CALLS MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW 'WHITEWASH'

Calgary marijuana crusader Grant Krieger says the federal government's move
to codify who can use marijuana for medicinal purposes is just smoke.

"This is just a whitewash for the Canadian public," Krieger said of the
rules announced Friday by Health Minister Allan Rock which will allow
people to legally possess and smoke marijuana legally if they can prove
they can't be treated with other drugs.

The measures will also allow the government to license third parties to
grow marijuana for individual sufferers who can't grow it for themselves.

"They're setting up their own racket with no benefit except for a waste of
taxpayer's money," Krieger said.

He suggested government-produced marijuana would be a "substandard
product. It's like serving low-calorie beer (compared) to five-per-cent beer."

The long-awaited regulations on medicinal marijuana allow terminal
patients, people with AIDS, multiple sclerosis, spinal-cord injuries,
epilepsy, severe arthritis and other serious conditions to use the drug if
it eases their symptoms.