20/01/2008 00:00:00
Canada: Judge Eases Medical Marijuana Grower Access
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The regulation which allows growers of cannabis to supply the drug to
only one patient is unconstitutional, a federal court rules
Canadians who are prescribed cannabis to treat their illnesses will no
longer be forced to rely on the federal government as a supplier
following a Federal Court ruling that struck down a key restriction in
the government`s medical cannabis program.
The decision by Judge Barry Strayer, released on 10 January, essentially
grants medical cannabis users more freedom in picking their own grower
and allows growers to supply the drug to more than one patient.
Currently, medical users can grow their own cannabis but growers can't
supply the drug to more than one user at a time.
In his decision, Strayer called the provision unconstitutional and
arbitrary, as it "caused individuals a major difficulty with access."
The government must also reconsider requests made by a group of medical
users who brought the matter to court to be allowed to have a single
supplier as their producer, Strayer said in his 23- page decision.
While the government has argued that medical users who can't grow their
own cannabis can obtain it from the government, fewer than 20 per cent
of patients actually use the government's supply, Strayer wrote. The
government may appeal the decision.
http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20080120131114152
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13184
Author:
BBS News via UKCIA
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