MORE LEGAL USERS ADDED TO POT

Proponents of medicinal marijuana cheer as number of licensed tokers
across Canada triples since 2006

The number of Canadians legally permitted to use pot as medicine has
tripled in the past three years since the Tories took power.

At last official count by Health Canada this past June, 4,029 people
were authorized to possess cannabis under Marijuana Medical Access
Regulations, 2,841 were allowed to grow their own plants and 481 had
special permission to grow it on behalf of another patient. That's up
from 1,273 who had permits in February 2006.

Most in Ontario

Ontario leads the legal pot pack with 1,631 licensed tokers, while
1,008 British Columbians have the right to light up. Manitoba, Alberta
and New Brunswick have the fewest authorizations, and only 39 people
have permits in Newfoundland.

Ottawa resident Russell Barth, who legally smokes pot to help relieve
symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and
fibromyalgia, is pleased authorized pot users are on the upward swing
but believes the official tally represents a small fraction of those
using marijuana for treatment. Many patients don't bother to apply for
a permit because of onerous paperwork or they can't find a doctor to
sign their forms.

He said even when patients do have legal permission, they have trouble
accessing quality, affordable pot.

"It's obscene. It's systematic discrimination," he
said.

Debilitating Illnesses

Health Canada grants permission to people who are suffering from grave
and debilitating illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, cancer,
arthritis, epilepsy or HIV/AIDS.

Barth said Conservative Bill C-15, which cracks down on drug offences,
including tougher penalties for marijuana trafficking, could impact
legal medicinal users by making access more costly and less secure.
Smaller growers and compassion clubs will fear being thrown in jail
for long terms and will leave the market to organized criminals, he
said.

Health Canada obtains its marijuana and seed supply from Prairie Plant
Systems Inc., and licensed patients can buy their supply from the
government or grow their own. But Barth called the federal supply "crap."

Blair Longley, leader of the Marijuana Party of Canada, sees the
rising number of legal authorizations as a good sign more doctors are
valuing its medicinal properties.

"When the program started, you had to almost prove you'd be dead in
six months," he said. "Now it's more wide-based and easier to get for
things like migraines and arthritis."