GRAND FORKS COUNCIL DEBATES POT LEGALIZATION

After heated debate, council said no to a resolution calling for
relaxed laws around medical marijuana.

Councillor Joy Davies asked council to bring a motion to the Union of
British Columbia Municipalities ( UBCM ) calling for easier access to
medical marijuana. She said she was inspired to fight for patients
after the suicide of a close friend on Dec. 1.

Her chronically-ill friend was denied access to medical marijuana by
her doctor who wouldn't sign the prescription. Although patients can
obtain cannabis through Health Canada, this program is difficult to
access, said Davies. The federal government has been told by the
Supreme Court that it must come up with a new medical marijuana
program within one year.

Davies' resolution called for the provincial government to undertake
the licensing of medical marijuana, allow the decision to be made
between the doctor and patient, allow compassion clubs to legally
grow cannabis for their patients and allow medical patients to grow
their own cannabis.

Councillor Chris Moslin suggested council refer the motion to the
economic development task force for discussion. However, his motion
was also defeated.

"I feel it would be more appropriate, if it is a compelling
grassroots issue, that we start this snowball process appropriately," he said.

Thompson agreed the drug laws aren't working for patients.

"If the use of medical marijuana is going to ease someone's pain and
suffering, is going to allow someone to have some semblance of a
quality of life, then in my opinion, we should move forward in making
this an issue that can be debated, not just around this table, but
around the province," she said.

Councillors Cher Wyers, Michael Wirischagin and Gene Robert argued
against the motion because it wasn't a municipal issue.

"I feel that Grand Forks is the wrong place for this to be carried
forward," said Wyers. "It's a federal issue."

Robert argued marijuana is a "gateway drug" and called the arguments
in favour of medical marijuana "biased."

Thompson advised fellow councillors against confusing the issue with
the decriminalization of cannabis.

Mayor Brian Taylor, who has advocated for medical marijuana for many
years, spoke in favour of the motion although he said patients aren't
interested in growing their own marijuana due to the risks of home invasions.

Davies said she would continue the fight at city council.