TWENTY-NINE LICENSED MEDICAL MARIJUANA GROWERS IN PRINCE GEORGE

On April 1, police executed two search warrants at a duplex in the 500
block of Alward Street in Prince George.

In the first duplex, they found 308 marijuana plants, 45 pounds of
dried marijuana and a home-made door to the second duplex. In the
second duplex they found 216 marijuana plants. However, the resident
of the second duplex had two Health Canada permits to grow marijuana
for medicinal purposes. The Health Canada permit was only for 122
plants, so the excess 94 plants were removed and charges have been
laid against a local man and woman.

These types of discoveries may soon be a thing of the past as Ottawa
is considering changes that would prohibit medical marijuana users
from growing their own weed. Under the proposed changes, they would
have to purchase it from a commercial producer.

According to Health Canada documents, released under the Access to
Information Act, there were 29 people licensed to grow marijuana in
Prince George, as of April 29, 2011, and 47 licensed medical marijuana
users in the city. Province-wide, there are 3,380 people licensed to
grow medical marijuana and 3,894 people licensed to smoke medical marijuana.

Currently, those wanting to use marijuana for medical purposes must
first obtain a declaration from a licensed medical practitioner who
confirms that dried marijuana is going to be used to alleviate a
specific symptom associated with an identified medical condition.

The individual then applies to Health Canada to be authorized to
possess dried marijuana. Once authorized to possess, an individual can
either buy marijuana from Health Canada, produce it themselves by
applying for a personal-use production licence, or designate someone
to produce it for them.

Under the proposed changes, personal-use and designated-person
production licences would be phased out and individuals would no
longer be able to grow marijuana for medical purposes in their homes.

The government would no longer contract for the production and
distribution of dried marijuana or marijuana seeds for medical
purposes. Licensed commercial producers would be regulated by Health
Canada and be the only legal source of dried marijuana for medical
purposes. Health Canada would regularly inspect and audit these
licensed commercial producers to ensure they comply with all
applicable regulations.

While the ability for medical marijuana users to grow their own may be
curtailed, changes will make it much easier to obtain permission to
use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Program participants would no longer have to submit application forms
or personal medical information to Health Canada in order to obtain an
authorization to possess marijuana. Instead, they would submit a
document they obtain from their physician directly to a licensed
commercial producer.

Health Canada is proposing to eliminate the administrative categories
of conditions or symptoms for which an individual may possess
marijuana for medical purposes. The determination as to whether the
use of marijuana for medical purposes is appropriate for a particular
individual would still be made through a discussion between a
physician and a patient.

Marijuana produced by licensed commercial producers would be subject
to quality standards, unlike marijuana that is produced by individuals
under the current program.

Ottawa is launching public consultations with Canadians on the
proposed changes. A consultation document has been posted on the
Health Canada website which contains the proposed changes. Interested
Canadians are invited to provide comments until July 31.