Politics

POT PARTY CANDIDATE PUSHING MEDICAL USE

It wasn't a scam.

Tony Adams said his recent classified ad in The Peace Arch News offering to
train potential Marijuana Party candidates as medical marijuana growers was
legitimate.

Back in March, RCMP investigated the legality of the ad, after someone
complained, and warned the public to be wary.

Monday, Adams, a 57-year-old former logger and salesman, surfaced as a
candidate for the Marijuana Party of B.C. in Surrey-White Rock.

He wants his campaign to highlight the difficulty thousands of people have
legally obtaining marijuana for medicinal use.

Adams, who's drawn a disability pension since 1996, suffers from
degenerative nerve disease stemming from a car accident.

He suffers constant pain, and says the only relief he's found comes through
smoking several marijuana cigarettes each day.

Under Health Canada's Marijuana Medical Access Regulations, people with
grave or debilitating illnesses are permitted to possess marijuana for
medical use.

Health Canada's rules say people may apply for an application allowing them
to grow pot for personal use, or to name someone to grow the drug for them.

As of Jan. 7, the Office of Cannabis Medical Access listed 773 people as
permitted medical marijuana. Another 552 can grow it for personal use, or
for one other person.

Prairie Plant Systems in Flin Flon, Man., holds the only contract for mass
production.

Adams originally qualified as medical marijuana user in September 2001, but
needs to re-apply for an additional permit.

He said his family doctor is willing to vouch for him, but Health Canada
now requires he and other patients wanting medical marijuana see a specialist.

"They insist you have a specialist fill out another set of forms," Adams said.

Five doctors have so far turned him down.

"As soon as a doctor hears you want some forms filled out for marijuana,
they don't want anything to do with it," the Cloverdale grandfather of two
said.

That's why he wants to form a marijuana grower's co-operative to supply
patients with medicinal marijuana.

Adams' own health has deteriorated to the point he can no longer grow his
own marijuana.