MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM ON TRACK

AS A result of some misleading and inaccurate coverage by the media, this
letter is to clarify the federal government's policy on the use of
marijuana for medical purposes.

The government of Canada has not backed away from its medical marijuana
program. If we were doing so, I can assure you that we would not be
spending the time, energy and money that we are on moving ahead with the
program, and with significant stakeholder involvement. This includes the
establishment of the stakeholder advisory committee on marijuana for
medical purposes, expected to meet for the first time in October 2002.

I know that many Canadians who are suffering from terminal or grave
illnesses strongly and genuinely believe, with the support of their
physicians, that smoking marijuana helps them live more comfortably and in
less pain. In my role as health minister, I must balance those beliefs with
the need to carry out research into the safety and effectiveness of
marijuana as a medicine.

That is why our policy has two components. The first component is the
marijuana medical access regulations (MMAR), which allow people with
authorizations to possess and cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. At
present over 800 people in Canada are permitted by Health Canada to possess
marijuana for medical purposes. The MMAR remain in effect and people
continue to apply.

The second component of our approach is research. There are two parallel
tracks.

Unlike heroin and morphine products, marijuana is not approved as a
medicine in any country in the world. Marijuana cannot be approved in
Canada without scientific evidence proving its benefits and defining its
risks. At present, while there are anecdotal reports of the value of smoked
marijuana, the scientific studies about its safety and effectiveness are
inconclusive.

Conducting research will allow us to better understand whether and for
which medical conditions marijuana is an effective medicine and better
understand the risks in relation to those benefits.

Health Canada continues to pursue the research plan initiated in 1999 by my
predecessor Allan Rock. This will include broad-based clinical trials (that
will accommodate large numbers of participants) and controlled clinical
trials (involving smaller groups of patients). These clinical trials will
use research-grade marijuana, including that produced for Health Canada by
Prairie Plant Systems.

It is our hope that these clinical trials will include many of the people
permitted by Health Canada to possess marijuana for medical purposes.
Canadians who do not participate in this research can apply for a licence
to cultivate marijuana or for a designate to cultivate it for them, under
the existing regulations.

Anne McLellan,

Minister of Health

(Thanks for the update.)