HOW TO SELL MARIJUANA LEGALLY

What Medicinal Mariujana?

New book steps in as Health Canada leaves medicinal users
yearning.

In 1922, police magistrate and Canadian marijuana prohibitionist Emily
Murphy wrote a book titled The Black Candle. It suggested that "aliens
of colour" will "bring about the degeneration of the white race"
through drug trafficking. Murphy played upon the spectre of pure white
women becoming defenceless against "black-haired beasts in our human
jungle," and alluded to the notion that drug use in general is part of
a global non-white plot to enslave Caucasians. Her solution was to
"insist on people of colour's exclusion from this continent."

The book quoted Los Angeles police chief Charles Jones claiming,
"Persons using this narcotic (cannabis) smoke the dried leaves of the
plant, which has the effect of driving them completely insane. While
in this condition they become raving maniacs and are liable to kill or
indulge in any form of violence." Shortly after the publication of her
book, marijuana use and possession became illegal when cannabis was
added to the Opium and Drug act in Canada. The legislation came to be
known as the Narcotic Control Act.

Jump ahead to July 2000, when the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that
banning cannabis for medical reasons violated the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms. Health Canada created the office of cannabis
medical access and the "Marijuana Medical Access Regulations." Canada
became the first country in the world to legalize medical marijuana.
Doctors can now prescribe marijuana to patients for medical purposes.

Wendy Little and Eric Nash run Island Harvest, a federally licensed,
certified organic cannabis grow operation for medicinal recipients in
British Columbia. They charge approximately $3.50 per gram and ship
directly to their customers. Together they have written the book Sell
Marijuana Legally, a step-by-step guide through the process of
becoming a licensed marijuana grower. The book has valuable Internet
and book resources, government access forms and contacts, and other
knowledge the authors dug up through access to information.

In 2000, 34 companies applied for the contract to supply Health Canada
with "185 kilograms of standard cigarettes and bulk-processed
marijuana for the first year, and 420 kilograms on the second year."
Prairie Plant Systems Inc., which runs a growing facility at Flin
Flon, Manitoba, will have its contract expire in late 2005. Despite
its sophisticated grow lights, supplied by NASA, Flin Flon's
production facility is a toxic mine that does not produce quality
marijuana. Several new companies are expected to apply for this
contract, and political observers are expecting an Ontario applicant
to get it.

Despite Health Canada's attempts to supply medicinal marijuana,
recipients hate it. Health Canada supplies only one strain of sativa,
with a low THC content (THC being what stimulates the euphoric
effects) of between five and six per cent. Lack of variety, low THC
and distribution problems have been the bane of customers.

Last week, one Ottawa recipient received an empty package in the mail,
instead of his five ounces of organic medicine. Canada Post can
legally distribute medicinal marijuana, and the customer insured his
package. Although he will be reimbursed, he now has to find a decent
source of medicine.

The National Capital Compassion Society began as an informal network
of volunteers to assist in getting medicinal marijuana to those who
qualify. In February 2004, they became a legal not-for-profit
corporation with about 100 members. Approximately 25 members are
licensed medicinal users, and half of them grow for themselves. The
remainder have received marijuana prescriptions from Ottawa doctors.
Most compassion clubs supply marijuana to those who need it, and help
them become self-sufficient. One member stated "compassion clubs will
be necessary until the government gets its act together, which
probably won't be for a few years."

Sell Marijuana Legally is available at Crosstown Traffic, 593 C Bank
Street.