cannabisnews.com: Compassion Club Trial May Weigh Feds' Pot Rules





Compassion Club Trial May Weigh Feds' Pot Rules
Posted by CN Staff on May 14, 2002 at 10:13:15 PT
By Lynn Moore, Montreal Gazette 
Source: Montreal Gazette
A Quebec Court judge agreed yesterday to hear evidence about whether recent federal regulations allowing authorized Canadians to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes are useful - in practise, as opposed to theory - for ailing Quebecers. Judge Gilles Cadieux agreed to hear from two of four witnesses proposed by the defence in the trial of two Compassion Club of Montreal volunteers.Marijuana Party leaders and activists Marc St-Maurice and Alexandre Néron were charged with marijuana possession and trafficking following a police raid on the Rachel St. centre more than two years ago. 
About 66 grams of marijuana were seized at the non-profit centre, the court heard. The men contend the laws used to charge them contravene Canada's constitution.In July 2000, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the prohibition of marijuana under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act was unconstitutional. The declaration of invalidity was suspended for a year so the government could create rules allowing for the medical use of marijuana.Amendments to the act were announced in April 2001. The rules provide exemptions for people suffering from serious medical conditions.Cadieux, who set the next court appearance for June 13, yesterday refused to permit the calling of officials from the Quebec College of Physicians. The college's decision to tell its members that they shouldn't prescribe marijuana even if patients have been granted a federal exemption, is not relevant to the activists' case, Cadieux said.Crown lawyer Robert Marchi argured that if the activists didn't like the new federal regulations, they should attack them directly but shouldn't be allowed to challenge them "indirectly" through the current case.Cadieux, who said he wanted to know the impact of the regulations on Compassion Club members, has already indicated that he considers the marijuana laws unconstitutional. He has asked defence and crown lawyer for their proposals on how to address that failure in this case.Cadieux agreed to hear from Claude Messier, a muscular dystrophy patient who, last year, was one of 251 Canadians with an exemption from Health Canada to smoke pot for medical purposes.Messier is in failing health and is unable to travel but can tender evidence through an affidavit, court heard yesterday.Caroline Doyer, co-founder of the city's Compassion Club, could also testify about the impact of the regulations on the clubs' patients and operations, Cadieux said.Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)Author: Lynn Moore, Montreal Gazette Published: Tuesday, May 14, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.Contact: letters thegazette.southam.caWebsite: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/Related Articles & Web Sites:Montreal Compassion Clubhttp://www.blocpot.qc.ca/ccm/english.htmlCanadian Linkshttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmJudge Says Some Drug Law are Unconstitutionalhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12621.shtmlThey Sue To Toke - NOW Magazinehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8278.shtml
END SNIP -->
Snipped
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #3 posted by Naaps on May 14, 2002 at 11:40:54 PT
Power to Marc and Alexandre
Marc Boris St. Maurice and Alexandre Neron had only opened the Montreal Compassion Club less than a month before it was busted leading to this court case. Marc founded the Federal Marijuana Party tackling the issue directly.Crown lawyer Robert Marchi claims that the activists should attack the federal regulations ‘directly’, not ‘indirectly’ through the current case. He is off base saying this because there are two ways of changing the law; through Parliament and through Court rulings. Clearly, he is uncomfortable because Quebec Court Judge Gilles Cadieux already has indicated that he considers the marijuana laws unconstitutional.I’m optimistic that the outcome of this case will have the defendants walk with absolute discharges. Moreover, I’m hoping that Judge Cadieux will issue a strong statement pushing Ottawa for amendments to protect the compassion clubs. The patients, those operating the clubs, and the growers all need protection.    
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on May 14, 2002 at 11:14:59 PT
Oops now I'm the dumb one
It helps to read the article first 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on May 14, 2002 at 11:02:47 PT
ERRRRGGGHHHHHHHH
A Quebec Court judge agreed yesterday to hear evidence about whether recent federal regulations allowing authorized Canadians to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes are useful - in practise, as opposed to theory - for ailing Quebecers.Theory means you have never done something before but you have an idea IN YOUR HEAD how it might play out if it were done in the real world.Medical marijuana rests on that notorious animal known as "anecdotal evidence."Anecdotal evidence comes from PRACTICE by definition, not by theory at all.Theory has nothing to do with anecdotal evidence. However, when you have a theory that explains a collection of anecdotal evidence, then you are on your way to an established fact.Medical marijuana has plenty of both.Journalists are just plain stupid, aren't they? It's not nice to say that but it's aggravating when these people don't even understand the words they are using in the lead paragraph of their story.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment