SICK TO GAIN ACCESS TO FEDERAL POT STASH

Interim Policy Will Allow Sale Of Medicinal Marijuana

A policy announced yesterday will allow seriously ill people access to the
federal government's medicinal marijuana stash for the first time, even
while police continue to bust people for growing or dealing the drug illegally.

Under an interim policy announced yesterday, Health Canada will sell bags
of marijuana seeds and dried marijuana to sick patients who qualify under
Ottawa's medical marijuana program.

The announcement came on the day an Ontario court judge set as the deadline
for the federal government to come up with regulations for distributing
medical marijuana. The judge ruled Ottawa couldn't logically give sick
people permission to use pot without also providing a legal source of supply.

Health Canada is appealing the ruling and Health Minister Anne McLellan
hinted the sales program could end quickly if her department wins the appeal.

"It was never the intention for us to provide product," she said in
Edmonton. "What we wanted to do was in fact determine whether there is
medicinal benefit in relation to the use of marijuana."

She expressed strong skepticism about the premise of the medical marijuana
program instituted by her predecessor, Allan Rock. "There have been no
studies anywhere in the world that have been able to confirm medicinal
benefit," she said.

The tone of her comments differed from that used by Rock, who said the
medical marijuana program was based on compassion for people who are
seriously ill or in discomfort.

The government's marijuana is grown in an underground mine in Flin Flon by
Prairie Plant Systems.

Its president, Brent Zettl, welcomes yesterday's decision.

"We're happy that the project is actually evolving to the point where
patients are going to be seeing some of the product. We welcome the news,"
he said.

About 500 people now qualify to use marijuana under the program, but they
have been required to grow their own pot, designate someone to grow it for
them or get it on the black market. That was the problem that led the
Ontario Court of Justice to declare the law unconstitutional and give the
government six months to fix it.

Health Canada is charging $20 for 20 seeds or $150 for a 30-gram bag of
dried grass.

To qualify under the medical access program, people must meet detailed
medical requirements and get the endorsement of a doctor.

Many would-be users haven't been able to qualify.

Winnipeg resident Andy Caisse said he has legally been allowed to possess
marijuana for about a year and half to treat multiple sclerosis.

"It makes me sleep, and the tremors in my legs, they stop," he said.

Before getting permission to grow the drug, Caisse had to buy it off the
street.

"Off the street it was a pain because I used to have to send my mother out
to buy it," he said. Caisse said he doesn't trust the quality of the
government drug and is content to continue to buy it from his current grower.

"For what they're planning on doing, I wouldn't even go near it. It's too
weak, for one, and at $5 a gram it would have to be literally garbage."

He said the drug he gets from his designated grower has around 15 per cent
THC, the active, medicinal ingredient.

Many activists also complained yesterday that most would-be participants
aren't able to get permission under the medical access program to use the
drug legally, which means yesterday's decision has very little impact on
the majority of ill people who use marijuana.

Brant Cosens has been using marijuana to treat multiple sclerosis since he
was diagnosed in 1978 at the age of 24.

"It provides me with relaxation, stress reduction and anxiety reduction,
much akin to what is provided by traditional painkillers," he said, adding
he doesn't think he will ever be able to make it through the system to
legally obtain the relief he needs.

"For some reason, I feel like a square peg in a round hole," he said. "I've
given up." -- with files from Canadian Press