Marijuana advocates upset over new rules banning grow-ops

[gerryh]

CALGARY- The government is getting out of the pot business. On Monday, the federal government announced changes that means they will no longer produce or distribute medical marijuana, and medical users will no longer be allowed to grow the product at home.
“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,” Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said in a statement.
Canadian Fire Chiefs agree that grow-ops are a danger.
“An average of one in 22 grow operations catch fire, an incident rate that is 24 times higher than the average home,” says John de Hooge, from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs.
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Aglukkaq adds that the changes will save taxpayers $15 million per year, but marijuana users say the changes will force low-income Canadians to head to the street.
“With Health Canada’s proposed changes, I would not be able to afford very little of my own medicine,” says Marshall Smith, who smokes marijuana to cope with arthritis pain. “I would have to change to an illegal source, or try growing my own.”
Marijuana advocates predict the price will more than double, once licensed, private growers take over.
“I pay $5 a gram, Health Canada says $8 a gram,” complains Keith Fagin. “I think it’s going to be more than 10,12 [dollars] and higher.
“It’s going to make many of us criminals.”
Health Canada said since the medical marijuana program was introduced in 2001, it has expanded to 30,000 people from the original 500 authorized to use the product. The new rules go into effect on April 1, 2014.



Marijuana advocates upset over new rules banning grow-ops | Globalnews.ca

 

[Cliffy]

CALGARY- The government is getting out of the pot business. On Monday, the federal government announced changes that means they will no longer produce or distribute medical marijuana, and medical users will no longer be allowed to grow the product at home.
“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,” Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said in a statement.
Canadian Fire Chiefs agree that grow-ops are a danger.
“An average of one in 22 grow operations catch fire, an incident rate that is 24 times higher than the average home,” says John de Hooge, from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs.

Aglukkaq adds that the changes will save taxpayers $15 million per year, but marijuana users say the changes will force low-income Canadians to head to the street.
“With Health Canada’s proposed changes, I would not be able to afford very little of my own medicine,” says Marshall Smith, who smokes marijuana to cope with arthritis pain. “I would have to change to an illegal source, or try growing my own.”
Marijuana advocates predict the price will more than double, once licensed, private growers take over.
“I pay $5 a gram, Health Canada says $8 a gram,” complains Keith Fagin. “I think it’s going to be more than 10,12 [dollars] and higher.
“It’s going to make many of us criminals.”
Health Canada said since the medical marijuana program was introduced in 2001, it has expanded to 30,000 people from the original 500 authorized to use the product. The new rules go into effect on April 1, 2014.



Marijuana advocates upset over new rules banning grow-ops | Globalnews.ca

This is certainly in keeping with the con's draconian views and no surprise. I just hope the con scandals will force them out of office before they tear this country apart any more than they already have.

 

[darkbeaver]

I see Canada will continue to torture the lame and the sick. A great crime against humanity is the laws surrounding this plant. Someone should hang.

 

[damngrumpy]

The Government does not get it. People first of all are not going to buy the medical pot.
Its apparently regulated as to strength etc. As it was explained to me all the regulations
in the world will not have people buying from the government outlets when they can buy
the real stuff.
There was a day when beer was illegal, and so was bathroom Gin and hard liquor. Now
you can micro brew it in your basement in many areas. Now the war on pot will continue
until they finally understand its a war wasted. Of course they are preparing us for the
change. soon pot will be legal and cigarettes will be the new villain. I tell ya, the law is
nuts. When do the realize they cannot legislate social conditions of the people because
they will do it anyway. The lives that get ruined in the meantime should be calculated and
those responsible punished in the future.

 

[lone wolf]

As long as it keeps the legal system oiled and revenues to be pillaged

 

[lone wolf]

...or sump'n like that ;-)

 

[Cliffy]

...or sump'n like that ;-)

If pot was legalized tomorrow, thousands of legal system workers would be out of a job and people would know (those who don't already) that the government and the legal system have been lying through their teeth for over 80 years. They would also have to come up with a new boogeyman to try and keep those wheels of "justice" greased.