MEDICAL MARIJUANA TOO HARD TO GET

To the editor:

Re: Compassion or Crime, The Sunday Daily News, April 7.

About one million Canadians use marijuana medicinally, according to a
Health Canada-funded survey conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Four per
cent of our adult population consider marijuana a viable option to treat
symptoms of merciless diseases and conditions. For one of a multitude of
reasons, pharmaceuticals failed us!

Despite the newly created, supposedly compassionate, medical marijuana
access regulations, only approximately 700 dying or chronically ill
Canadians held a legal exemption, as of January, allowing us to utilize
medical marijuana without fear of prosecution. Health Canada's rules
continue to leave patients with debilitating illnesses in an overwhelming
chasm of abandonment. Gravely ill and dying patients are being denied their
constitutional right to legal access to their medication.

If Health Canada can't provide us with our medication in a timely fashion,
then it should graciously step aside and allow compassion clubs and good
Samaritans to assist patients with filling their prescriptions without fear
of prosecution.

Debbie Stultz-Giffin

Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana,

Bridgetown