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| Rock Announces Medical Marijuana Regulations |
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Posted by FoM on July 04, 2001 at 10:07:07 PT Press Release Source: Health Canada 
Health Minister Allan Rock today announced that the Government of Canada's regulations governing possession and production of marijuana for medical purposes have been approved and will come into effect on July 30, 2001. Minister Rock also announced research funding and provided a progress report on efforts to establish a domestic supply of marijuana for medical purposes."Today's announcement is a landmark in our ongoing effort to give Canadians suffering from grave and debilitating illnesses access to marijuana for medical purposes," said Minister Rock. "This compassionate measure will improve the quality of life of sick Canadians, particularly those who are terminally ill." The approved regulations, which reflect extensive consultation with stakeholders, contain two main components authorizations to possess marijuana and licences to produce marijuana. They are designed to address issues relating to transparency of the approved process and the need for a clearer definition of medical necessity. These issues stemmed from the decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in the case of Regina v. Parker, rendered on July 31, 2000. Draft regulations were pre-published April 7, 2001 for stakeholder consultation. Stakeholder concerns addressed in the regulations announced today include: The application process will be managed by the individual applicant instead of a medical practitioner - reducing the burden on physicians and empowering the patient; Applicants for a designated person production licence will not be required to submit a document proving that no foreign drug conviction exists; The formula to calculate the number of plants permitted under a licence to produce will be adjusted to reflect estimated indoor and outdoor growing yields and margins of error; and Transitional provisions will be included that extend all current exemptions by six months - ensuring patients are afforded an ample opportunity to comply with the new regulations. The regulations were published in Canada Gazette Part II today. They come into force July 30, 2001. Minister Rock announced other measures related to the Government of Canada's marijuana for medical purposes initiative. They include: Outreach initiative to physicians to share information and seek input on streamlining application forms and process; Ongoing review process involving physicians, patients, law enforcement officers and other stakeholders to monitor the effectiveness and application of new regulations and provide advice on future measures related to the manufacture, distribution and sale of marijuana for medical purposes, Funding of $840,000 to conduct research on the efficacy of smoked marijuana in the treatment of wasting syndrome in those living with HIV/AIDS by the Community Research Initiative of Toronto; and Final licencing approval of Prairie Plant Systems Inc. (PPS) of Saskatoon and provision of seeds which allows them to begin growing a legal supply and a wide variety of marijuana to supply the Government of Canada's medical marijuana initiative. "The measures announced today are a result of an extensive consultative process and a commitment to be flexible," concluded Minister Rock. "This approach will continue to guide our efforts as we monitor the implementation of these regulations and futher develop the supply and distribution process this Fall." Complete Title: Rock Announces Medical Marijuana Regulations and Progress Report on Research and Domestic Supply Canadian Links Health Canada Media Health Canada Regulations CannabisNews Articles - Canada Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #10 posted by Floyd on July 05, 2001 at 16:11:51 PT |
| I think it is a time for all Canadians to be extremely proud of our country, and (gasp) even our government. True, they should be doing a lot more, but considering Mr. Bush's threats to put us on the "american blacklist" for softening on pot (in the midst of their all-outworld wide drug assault) , I think they are showing what Canadians are all about. We should all be proud of the way our government is standing up for what its people, especially its suffering people believe in, and not what the bullies down south tell them to do. In an age of the world bending over backwards to do as America says, Canada has never been more independant and strong willed. I thank my government, and I am sure thousands of sick Canadians thank them too. NOTE: I mean no offense to any thoughtful, open minded american, however I mean full offense to your government =) I wish our american cousins the very best of luck in following suit and bringing an end to this absurd war on pot. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by dddd on July 05, 2001 at 09:03:28 PT |
| ...Good point Lehder about those who are "cured"......That's what makes the whole thing of only medical use so absurd... ...I admit,,,,I might start not really feelin' so good if it meant ..ya know,,,what's it gonna come down to? it's going to come down ............ddd...d [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by Lehder on July 05, 2001 at 06:58:58 PT |
| What of the patients who refuse to die on schedule, 12 months after grant of exemption?--TroutMask I guess if marijuana is dangerous enough to remain illegal, if it's an addictive narcotic, then those who survive the 12-month DEADLINE will have to be treated for the effects of addiction and mental aberration. I see no other logical possibility. The same would apply to those who are cured by SMOKED MARIJUANA. Either that or else admit that marijuana has no adverse effects other than PRISON and put and end to the shameful mendacity that powers the civil wars over puritanism. and concretinism! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by Nate H. on July 05, 2001 at 06:19:29 PT |
| There's little worry the Tories will ever retake power - they have a dozen seats in our House of Commons at present, and nicely split the right-wing vote with the Canadian Alliance Party. And, Joe Clarke, the current leader of the Progressive Conservative party (Tories), supports decriminalizing marijuana for everybody. Actually, there's very little political opposition to medical marijuana in Canada - the few staunch drug warriors we have generally view medmj as a separate issue from recreational drug use. Canada legalized commercial hemp farming in 1998, and so far, the U.S. hasn't declared war on us (again). Nate H. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by Rambler on July 05, 2001 at 06:07:01 PT |
| It's true that this is a complex thing in many ways,but the good parts outweigh the bad.I like Troutmasks' list of questions,especicallythe almost dead person who gets a knock on the door on day 366,(morbidly humorous). You can bet there is alot of scrambling going on at the ONDCP about how to snuff out this new development,because it will make things quite akward for Amerikan teatotaler antis. I'm hoping Kaptinemo will be getting his hundred bucks soon from whoever may have taken him up on his bet. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on July 05, 2001 at 05:15:25 PT:
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| What does it mean on the ground? Presumably you Canucks have some sort of 'watchdog' agency (interesting, isn't it, that such organizations rarely ever watch themselves, and cause all manner of mischief until they step on a bigshot's toes?) that will be overseeing the implementation of these regs. What kind of training will their personnel receive as to how to determine a patient's 'legitimate need'? I see a political minefield in the making. And this could also become a political football of sorts; what happens if in a few years the Canadian Tories get in power, and decide to use this as a whipping post against the Liberals? As a sign of their being (gasp) 'soft on drugs'? (As has been amply demonstrated here in the States, ignorant people can be easily swayed, despite the fact that information exists to counter their false beliefs.) What protections will the average Canadian citizen have from these new regulations being changed yet again - and not in favor of them, but The State? All this dependance upon ignorant bureaucrats to determine whether you will survive a serious illness, injury - or have the quality of your life reduced through being forced to suffer with chronic, debilitating pain - or not merely points out yet again the basic stupidity of overly paternalistic governments in general. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by TroutMask on July 04, 2001 at 12:13:50 PT |
| How does this differ from "ordinary" illegality? Well, under current (unconstitutional) law, nobody is What of the patients who refuse to die on schedule, 12 There are many many more exemptions: "The criteria for application and authorization to Get those last two: medical conditions listed in a [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #3 posted by ekomstop on July 04, 2001 at 12:06:35 PT:
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| i really really really like the fact that rock decided to announce this on the u.s.a.'s birthday!!!!!! just after they voted 8-0 for NO medical mj. id like to laugh in the us governments face. trying to put a dea office in BC? what the fuc,k? [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #2 posted by R.earing on July 04, 2001 at 11:49:48 PT:
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| In non-political terms, it is hard to say what this means on the ground.Growers will still be subject to invasive searchs on the basis of the complaint of a neighbor.How does this differ from "ordinary" illegality? What of the patients who refuse to die on schedule, 12 months after grant of exemption? How can we expect Police departments to respect the program? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on July 04, 2001 at 11:42:00 PT |
| Bad news: No fully legal cannabis in Canada. Good news: The US now has an absolutely giant next-door neighbor with fully legal medical marijuana. I wonder if any US citizens will visit Canada to use medical marijuana? (That's rhetorical, of course they will!) If it's good enough for our Canadian friends, why does the US government say it's so bad? (Because they profit greatly from the lies.)The days of marijuana prohibition are numbered. -TM [ Post Comment ] |
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