OTTAWA TO ALTER MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW

Postmedia News

The federal government will be changing laws governing medical
marijuana growers, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Friday.

The government is beginning the process immediately by launching
public consultations into a list of proposed changes the department
has prepared. Ms. Aglukkaq said Ottawa is hoping the changes will
"reduce the risk of abuse, while significantly improving the way
program participants access marijuana for medical purposes."

Among other changes, the move would eliminate individual and private
growers. Under the current system, eligible people apply to Health
Canada, which then issues a licence. People in the dispensing
community who have been hearing about the impending change say it's
unconstitutional, and removes the rights of medical cannabis patients
to produce their own cannabis.