COURT OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA MARKET

(CNS) - Canadians prescribed marijuana to treat illness will have
more choice in where to buy their drugs after a court ruling Monday
that ends the federal government's monopoly on supplying medical
marijuana to patients.

Justice Department lawyers had sought to appeal a lower-court ruling
that granted licensed producers the right to grow marijuana for more
than one patient.

But the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the government's challenge,
saying it was not persuaded by government lawyers who argued that
growers supplying more than one patient would lead to an unregulated industry.

In January, a federal court judge struck down the one-to-one ratio as
unconstitutional and unnecessarily restrictive. The judgment was
stayed pending Monday's appeal.

Lawyer Alan Young, who represented medical marijuana users, said the
ruling was a victory for sick people.

"It's time for Health Canada to recognize that medical marijuana is
an established part of the regimen for a lot of patients," Young said
outside court. "Instead of thwarting patient needs, they should be
accommodating patient needs and, hopefully, this case will be a
signal to them."