ROCK OKAYS POT USE FOR 14 SMOKERS

Criminal Exemptions Granted To Alleviate Patients' Suffering

OTTAWA (Staff) - Health Minister Allan Rock is granting 14 more criminal
exemptions to Canadians who have satisfied his department they need to
smoke marijuana to alleviate suffering from chronic illnesses.

Rock said yesterday his department has received about 100 applications from
Canadians who say they need marijuana to help control their disease.

Of those, 14 have been given the go-ahead and another six are under
consideration. The remainder, an official said, are incomplete, but none
have been rejected outright.

Today's exemptions bring to 16 the number of Canadians who can smoke
marijuana without fear of prosecution. The exemptions are granted under a
section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Rock will also today release a business plan, outlining Ottawa's needs for
a domestic cannabis supply which can be used for medicinal purposes and
grown under controlled circumstances.

Health Canada will be inviting offers from would-be Canadian suppliers.

"This is for people who are very sick, or are dying, and they have
satisfied us that they are legitimate cases," Rock said.

"One of our goals is to get a Canadian source of supply.

"But we're new to this line of work and we're doing our best to cope. What
motivates us is (taking) a humanitarian and compassionate approach."

Ottawa first gave permission for the cultivation and use of marijuana for
medical purposes last June.

At that time, Rock granted special exemptions to Jim Wakeford of Toronto
and Jean-Charles Pariseau of Vanier, Ont., both of whom suffer from AIDS.

Those suffering from other diseases such as cancer, glaucoma and multiple
sclerosis have also reported relief from pain from using marijuana.

Rock will also release an update today on the clinical trials of the
therapeutic benefits of marijuana.

The marijuana for clinical trials will be supplied by an American institute
and a British company which manufactures a liquid form of the drug which
alleviates pain without the accompanying "buzz."

The exemption allows those who need cannabis to alleviate pain to grow it
in their own homes, but there have been complaints that those who have been
granted exemptions do not have the time, energy or expertise to properly
cultivate marijuana.