VISION CLOUDED

Your front-page story "No tax break for marijuana" (April 16) reports that
a woman with multiple sclerosis was granted a medical exemption that
permits her to smoke marijuana legally, but that she cannot claim the
$12,000 it costs her to survive her disease because, "In Revenue Canada's
eyes, medical marijuana is no different from alternative treatments like
Aspirin, health supplements or vitamins."

Revenue Canada evidently has something in its eyes (smoke, probably), but
it's certainly not clear vision, since the agency fails to see the obvious
fact that none of the alternative treatments "like Aspirin, health
supplements or vitamins" requires a special medical dispensation in order
to make it available to those sick enough to need it. Marijuana does. And
since the highest law-making body in Canada has gone to the extraordinary
length of creating a special exemption for those in extreme medical need,
it has, in effect, PRESCRIBED marijuana for those granted the permit.

I'm hoping your story will provide the eyedrops that will enable Revenue
Canada to see more clearly.

Norm Sabowitz, Halifax