TORY MAJORITY WOULD MEAN WAR ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

To the editor,

As a Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder who is also married to
one, I fear nothing in this world more than a Tory majority
government in Canada.

The Tories have been very clear about this subject: They believe
marijuana is dangerous and that there is no medical use for it.
Period. They also believe that people who use or grow marijuana
should face criminal charges, even teens and sick people. They also
believe that criminal sanctions are the best way to deter its use, so
they believe prohibition should remain in place.

Here is the nightmare I envision:

Day 1) After campaigning on a tough-on-drugs policy, the Tories win a
majority government.

Day 2) They announce the closing of the unconstitutional and
dysfunctional Health Canada Medical Marijuana Program (MMAD). This
violates our Charter rights, but, hey - who can stop them?

Day 3) All 1,500 (or so) sick and dying Federal Medical Marijuana
Licence Holders are informed that their licences are no longer valid,
they have no legal supply AT ALL, and if they grow or possess any
marijuana, they may be charged.

Day 4) The RCMP use the new majority government as tacit permission
to start rounding up marijuana dissidents, especially people who hold
protests, write letters, run compassion clubs, run head-shops or
websites, or criticize the police and government. Since they have all
of our names and addresses at the Health Canada office, it would be
like shooting fish in a barrel.

Day 5) Large scale dealers and growers pop corks to celebrate as the
government announces new tough sentencing laws that punish pot
growers. This scares off thousands of small time basement growers,
leaving all the business for the gangsters.

Day 6) My epileptic wife has a seizure and dies because she was
forced to use street weed grown by thugs. The pharmaceuticals never
worked anyway, and with no legal or safe supply, it was street weed or nothing.

That is what keeps me awake at night, and now, with Harper in
majority territory, I am more terrified than ever. I pray hard that
Canadians will see the Tories for the clear and present danger that they are.

Russell Barth

Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder

Ottawa