Homegrown Medical Marijuana Banned Under New Federal Rules Read More: Http://www.theprovince.com/news/homegrown+Medical+Marijuana+Banned+Under+Federa

[bobandtorey]

Legal “home grown” will soon be a thing of the past for Canada’s 30,000 medical marijuana users.

Citing public safety concerns, federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq rolled out new medical-marijuana rules Monday in Ottawa, citing overwhelming growth in medical-marijuana users as reason to ban patients from growing their own.

“This rapid increase has had unintended consequences for public health, safety and security as a result of allowing individuals to produce marijuana in their homes,” said the health ministry, which noted that 500 medical-marijuana users in 2001 has mushroomed to 30,000 today.

“Under the new regulations, production will no longer take place in homes and municipal zoning laws will need to be respected, which will further enhance public safety.”

Dana Larsen of Sensible B.C., which is seeking to legalize pot for adults, said medical-marijuana users have spent their time and money to learn how to grow.

“Now they’re telling them to throw everything away,” said Larsen. “This could be dealt with by city bylaws, regulation, and inspection.

“The lack of rules is what got us in trouble in the first place — now they say, ‘Ban it.’”

Pharmacists have lobbied to prevent medical-marijuana sales in their shops, and Aglukkaq granted them their wish Monday.

“The potential security risks to pharmacies due to robberies would need to be considered,” the Canadian Pharmacists Association wrote Health Canada in February.

“There is little information available on safety, effectiveness, dosage, drug interactions or long-term health risks.”

Larsen isn’t surprised the drug vendors didn’t sign on.

“I never expected pharmacists to sell pot,” said Larsen.

“I just couldn’t see London Drugs wanting to sell it — that’s not what they do.”

With the changing rules of who can grow or sell it, Larsen sees only one permanent solution.

“The only reason for medical marijuana laws is to make it illegal for everyone who doesn’t have a doctor’s note,” said Larsen, who is seeking enough signatures to put a legalize-pot referendum to B.C. voters.

“If we legalize marijuana, the medical-marijuana problem is solved.”

Abbotsford-based lawyer John Conroy said he’ll launch a constitutional challenge on behalf of poor medical-marijuana users if the government outlaws homegrown.

“One of the constitutional rights is the right to reasonable access – there’s a large group of people that won’t have reasonable access because they’re poor,” said Conroy, who has battled government regulations in court before. “The government is proposing to sell medical marijuana for $8 to $10 a gram – a lot of people are growing their own for $1 to $5 a gram.”

Conroy said fire chiefs have successfully lobbied about the dangers caused by grow-op setups.

“I will support that you shouldn’t have large grow ops in a residential area,” said Conroy. “But if it’s legal and licensed and installed by an electrician, you can easily grow three or four plants in a closet.

“The leading cause of fires is kitchens, but we’re not going to get rid of kitchens.”

Conroy has a backup plan if the constitutional case fails.

“Either the courts will rule that the government is taking away reasonable access, or we’ll start a class-action suit for damages.”

The government proposes that marijuana be available only available through mail order, and Aglukkaq said “reasonable access” is being protected under the new rules.

“While the courts have said that there must be reasonable access to a legal source of marijuana for medical purposes, we believe that this must be done in a controlled fashion in order to protect public safety,” Aglukkaq said in a statement.

“These changes will strengthen the safety of Canadian communities while making sure patients can access what they need to treat serious illnesses.”

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/news/Homegrown+medical+marijuana+banned+under+federal+rules/8504956/story.html#ixzz2VuV9eiyV

[t-pain]

it still floors me that michigan has 3x the amount of medical marijuana patients than all of canada.

 

its good to watch what happens to other states/countries.

they want to ban home grows

then they want to make it mail order only

then in a few years they'll try to just cancel the whole thing.

 

when is canada going to get rid of harper?

Edited June 11, 2013 by t-pain

[bobandtorey]

i think here in Mich. the #numbers will start to drop or the jails will start to fill

[Wild Bill]

i think here in Mich. the #numbers will start to drop or the jails will start to fill

You're right! We need to vote these a holes out of office.

[pic book]

Canada portends what the US will become due to ok states, not ok states.  The end result, sooner not later, is legalization.

[abe supercro]

It's shocking that Canada would remove home growing rights across the board like that. We can't take any of our current medicine rights for granted. Opportunists are always never far away.

[pic book]

It's shocking that Canada would remove home growing rights across the board like that.

yes, they created defacto a whole class of criminals some of whom are in vancouver whom i count as friends.  Growing up there was so darn melllow...the land of the garage grow.  the weather is all rain.  (i'm wiping tears).  It is an unfair taking of medical rights without court process, or whatever canada calls it?  I can't remember, it was '96, and i was on borrowed $.

Edited June 13, 2013 by pic book