MS SUFFERER BATTLES TO GET CANNABIS

OSHAWA-- It's the only thing that makes life bearable, but it has made
Jillian a criminal.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three years ago, the 25-year-old relies
on her daily puffs of marijuana to control her pain and the side effects
from prescribed medication.

The injections of Interferon Beta-1a, which she must take three times a
week to curb her attacks, put her into an emotional tailspin, from fits of
rage to crying jags. The medication burns and causes her skin to swell.

"Jillian told me today she just wants to put in her finger and dig to get
the battery acid out," said her husband Matt, his eyes welling up. "That's
the first time she's ever been able to put into words her pain."

The 26-year-old is frustrated by the lack of education surrounding the
medicinal value of marijuana. He prefers to call it "cannabis" and says
such words as "pot" and "marijuana" paint medicinal users, including his
wife, as druggies.

Once a recreational user, Jillian said it's not about getting high anymore.

"It's about eliminating the pain so I'm still able to function," she said.
"I'm 25 years old. I want to do what my friends are doing."

Married for seven years, the couple, who asked that their last name not be
used, lived in Nelson, B.C., until they recently came home to Oshawa for
the support of family. The use of cannabis as an alternative medicine is
much more accepted out west, they said. "Compassion clubs" help distribute
affordable and high-quality cannabis to those who need it and who have a
letter from their doctor exempting them from prosecution under marijuana
possession laws.

The same clubs here in Toronto require the Health Canada exemption form,
which would allow Jillian to smoke cannabis legally. But her new
neurologist in Ontario has refused to sign the medical declaration.

Health Canada currently allows exemptions for those who have less than a
year to live (Category 1), those who have one of seven major illnesses,
including epilepsy, AIDS, cancer and MS (Category 2), and other illnesses
such as colitis, anorexia, depression and fibromyalgia (Category 3).

But due to the lack of medical research on cannabis, the Ontario Medical
Association (OMA) and the Canadian Medical Protective Association have
advised doctors and specialists not to sign the medical declaration forms
for Category 2 and 3 patients until further studies have been conducted.

Dr. Ted Boadway, the OMA's director of health policy, said the medical
declaration forms ask the impossible of doctors. With very little research
available, there's no way a doctor can attest to the long-term benefits or
negative effects of using cannabis medicinally. Drug potency also varies
widely from batch to batch, making a recommended daily dosage difficult, he
said.

"We don't want doctors to be forced to sign untrue statements. Their
reputations are important," Dr. Boadway said.

All of these concerns were expressed to Health Canada by doctors before the
forms were created, he said. Dr. Boadway said he believes the federal
government has put doctors in the uncomfortable position of having to be
the unofficial gatekeepers of medicinal cannabis.

Health Canada is aware of the problem and is currently working on changes
to the forms after hearing from a number of "stakeholders," said ministry
spokesman Catherine Saunders. Those changes are expected by the fall of
2004, she said.

According to the Office of Cannabis Medical Access, a federal agency
overseeing medicinal cannabis, 717 Canadians are currently allowed to
possess marijuana for medical purposes. A total of 310 doctors in Canada -
117 in Ontario - have supported exemptions for patients.

Research is currently being conducted by the federal government at McGill
University to look at the benefits of using cannabis, said Ms. Saunders.

"There is no scientific data at this point. There have been lots of
anecdotal reports but marijuana, to date, is still considered a controlled
substance," she said.

Alison Myrden, who sits on the board of directors for Canadians for Safe
Access, has little faith in Health Canada's pledge to fix the problem. The
federal government moves slowly when it comes to medicinal cannabis, she said.

She points to international research that she said has proven cannabis a
safe and effective pain reliever for people with MS. A long-time activist
for medical marijuana, Ms. Myrden said it's important for Health Canada to
provide affordable, high-quality cannabis to those who need it.

Her own battle with MS requires 12 ounces of cannabis a month. An ounce can
cost up to $300 on the street, she said.

For Matt and Jillian, who get cannabis couriered to them regularly from a
compassion club in Nelson (they only pay the shipping), supply isn't the
problem. Without a proper exemption, the couple risk being arrested for
possession each time Jillian smokes. And living in her parents' non-smoking
apartment building, she can't light up at home.

"It's something I don't want my wife to have to worry about. It's added
stress and it just makes her illness that much worse," Matt said.

As for doctors who refuse to sign the exemption forms, Matt said, to him
it's simple.

"As a physician, their No. 1 goal should be looking out for their
patients," he said. "They don't seem to have any trouble doling out
synthetic drugs to my wife."

It's worth noting that since hearing about Matt and Jillian's plight, Ms.
Myrden has offered to refer the couple to a neurologist who is willing to
sign off on the medical declaration forms.