CANADA MARIJUANA

Montreal--People with criminal records shouldn't be excluded from supplying
medicinal marijuana, a group that advocates the therapeutic use of pot
recommended Wednesday.

Health Canada should consider the knowledge of long-time growers who may
have faced charges for growing marijuana, said Marc Boris St.Maurice of the
Canadian Cannabis Coalition.

"Valuable experience in breeding marijuana is lost and nothing is gained by
this criteria," St.Maurice told a news conference.

Exluding them from supplying marijuana in medical trials to be conducted by
Ottawa isn't in the best interests of people who need it, he said.

Last year, Health Minister Allan Rock announced Ottawa would gather
evidence on the safety and effectiveness of marijuana in treating medical
conditions. Rock said the federal government was looking for suppliers of
high-grade pot for the trials.