CLINICAL TRIALS OF MARIJUANA WILL NOT HALT ARRESTS OF TERMINALLY ILL

Law remains the same

Police officers will continue to arrest terminally ill Canadians who are
growing and smoking marijuana even though Allan Rock, the Health Minister,
has approved clinical trials on the medical use of the drug.

The federal government has not instructed the RCMP to refrain from laying
charges against patients who use marijuana to fight the symptoms related to
their disease.

"The law remains the same for now," said Derek King, a spokesman for the
health minister.

Mr. Rock announced on Wednesday that his officials will conduct clinical
trials on the medical use of marijuana to determine whether the drug can
help relieve medicinal side-effects for patients being treated for terminal
illnesses such as AIDS and cancer.

No timetable has been set yet, but Mr. Rock said scientists will gather
evidence "as soon as possible" and develop appropriate guidelines for the
medical use of the drug and to provide access to a safe supply.

Eugene Oscapella is a founding member of the Canadian Foundation for Drug
Policy, which supports the decriminalization of many drugs for medical
purposes. Yesterday he blasted the Liberal government for not showing more
"compassion" toward terminally ill patients.

"This is appalling," said Mr. Oscapella.

"The word compassion seems to be lacking from the vocabulary of this
government."

Mr. Oscapella said that Mr. Rock has the power, under section 56 of the
Controlled Drugs and the Substances Act, to exempt any person from the
application of the law.

"Why doesn't the minister do that?" Mr. Oscapella said.