GOV'T FLEECING POT PATIENTS

The amount the federal government overcharges patients legally using
medical marijuana is deplorable, say the Conservative and Liberal
candidates for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca.

"Outrageous," says Conservative candidate Troy DeSouza. Sitting
Liberal MP Keith Martin described the new charges as "usurous."

Ottawa charges patients 15 times more for the bulk, certified
medical marijuana than Health Canada pays its official supplier,
newly released documents show.

But sympathy for sick patients who have been prescribed marijuana by
doctors is the only thing Martin, a medical doctor, and DeSouza agree on.

DeSouza doesn't want marijuana decriminalized because "I don't want
to see kids getting involved (smoking marijuana) and I'm not in
favour of legalizing it."

On Monday Martin introduced a private member's bill in Parliament
that, if passed, would see possession of less than three kilograms
of marijuana, or less than 30 grams of cannabis resin, reduced to a
minor misdemeanor with a maximum $200 fine for a first offence.

Martin expects his marijuana "decriminalizing" Bill C -- an act to
amend the Contraventions Act and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
-- to be debated this week.

"The U.S.-style war on drugs is an abysmal failure and we need to
have a rational debate on drug abuse," he said. "It's a big problem."

DeSouza, who won the Conservative nomination last month, said he,
"like most people," believes in providing lawfully supplied medical
marijuana to select patients.

However, he said he doesn't understand why it costs patients so much.

Records show Health Canada pays $328.75 per kilogram of bulk medical
marijuna, with patients in turn paying $5,000 per kilogram.

"It's a good example of government making things worse," said DeSouza, 38.

DeSouza, who ran as a Conservative against Martin in the 2006
election, said he expects to win the seat after Prime Minister
Stephen Harper calls an election.

The lawyer and married father of one teaches local government law
courses, and was named the top lawyer under 40 on Vancouver Island last year.