GOVERNMENT TO TIGHTEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS

The federal government will be changing laws for medical marijuana
growers, but will not address an aspect of those laws that many
critics and several courts say is unconstitutional.

Government began the updating process Friday, launching public
consultations on a list of proposed changes it prepared, Health
Minister Leona Aglukkaq said.

The changes, which would eliminate individual and private growers
from the current system, were prompted by concerns the minister has
fielded from police officers, firemen, mayors and doctors across the country.

They say the current system becomes dangerous when growers don't
follow local electrical, health and safety bylaws, and that with so
many licences floating around it's virtually impossible for
municipalities to know who is licensed and whether those growers are
honouring the conditions of those licences.

Aglukkaq said government is hoping the changes will "reduce the risk
of abuse ... while significant-ly improving the way program
participants access marijuana for medical purposes."

But in April, the Superior Court in Ontario -ruling in the case of
Matt Mernagh, who started growing pot because it provided some relief
from chronic pain and other symptoms of his scoliosis, fibromyalgia
and epilepsy -found the current system to be unconstitutional and
ordered the government to change the medical marijuana program.

The government was given 90 days to come up with a constitutional
regime, one in which medical doctors don't act as "gatekeepers" to
the drug. The government has asked to have the ruling put on hold
until its appeal is heard.

The Health Canada propositions posted Friday don't address the court rulings.

The changes, available on the government website, remove the agency
from the licensing and distributing process, and instead requires a
patient to present a document from a doctor to a licensed commercial producer.