MIND-BLOWING MARKUP FOR MEDICINAL POT

Critics Complain Sickest Users Forced to Pay 'Criminal' Price

OTTAWA-The federal government charges patients 15 times more for
certified medical marijuana than it pays to buy the weed in bulk from
its official supplier, newly released documents show.

Critics say it's unconscionable to charge that high a markup to some
of the sickest citizens, who have little income and are often cut off
from their medical marijuana when they cannot pay their government dope bills.

Records obtained under the Access to Information Act show Health
Canada pays $328.75 per kilogram of bulk medical marijuana produced
by Prairie Plant Systems Inc. It has a $10.3-million contract with
Health Canada that expires Sept. 30, to grow standardized medical
marijuana in an abandoned mine shaft in Flin Flon, Man.

Health Canada, in turn, sells the pot to a small group of authorized
users for $150 (plus GST) per 30-gram bag of ground-up flowering
tops, with up to 14 per cent THC, the main active ingredient. That
works out to $5,000 per kilo, a markup of more than 1,500 per cent.

"It's impossible for a person on disability," said Ron Lawrence, 38,
a burn victim in Windsor, Ont., who controls severe pain with medical
marijuana. The sickest "are the ones that need it the most ... the
ones who don't work."

Adds Scott McCluskey, 48, in Westbank, B.C., who needs it to counter
spinal-cord pain: "They're selling it for criminal street prices ...
I don't think anybody, especially seriously ill people .. should have
to pay this type of money for medicine."

Health Canada has become a reluctant pot supplier, through a series
of court decisions that accepted scientific research indicating
cannabis can relieve pain when other medications fail. Currently,
1,742 patients are authorized by Health Canada to possess dried
marijuana as a medication; 514 of them order government-certified
grass through Health Canada's official supplier, Prairie Plant
Systems. Typically, it delivers the pot by courier. Currently, 149
patients are officially in arrears totalling $143,611. Health Canada
could not say how many have been cut off.

"When medical cannabis users all too often have to choose between
buying groceries and their medicine, it is unconscionable that Health
Canada .. should be marking up this product 1,500 per cent," said
Philippe Lucas of Victoria-based Canadians for Safe Access, which
promotes ready access to medical marijuana.

Health Canada spokesperson Jason Bouzanis said the $328.75 per kilo
does not cover costs, related to distribution. Contract records show
it pays the supplier a $9.06 fee per 30-gram package, for
labour/materials/couriers.

Vancouver Island Compassion Society will challenge the plan in
British Columbia Supreme Court on May 9-18.