So...Uh....Marijuana Legalization in Canada, What's Going On Right Now?

• the potential for diversion of marihuana produced for medical purposes to the illicit market;
• the risk of home invasion due to the presence of large quantities of dried marihuana or marihuana plants;
• public safety risks, including electrical and fire hazards, stemming from the cultivation of marihuana in homes;
• public health risks due to the presence of excess mould and poor air quality associated with the cultivation of marihuana plants in homes;
• the complexity and length of the application process for individuals who wish to obtain an authorization to possess and/or a licence to produce marihuana;
• the impact of increasing participation in the Program on the efficiency and timeliness of the application and review process;
• the fact that Health Canada only supplies one strain of dried marihuana; and,
• the need for more current medical information pertaining to the risks and benefits associated with the use of marihuana for medical purposes, as a means of supporting discussions between physicians and their patients as to whether such treatment is appropriate.

• By Email: [email protected]
• By Fax: 613-946-4224
• By Mail:
  Marihuana Consultations
  Controlled Substances and Tobacco Directorate
  Health Canada
  Mail Room, Federal Records Centre - Bldg 18
  1st Floor, 161 Goldenrod Driveway, Tunney's Pasture
  Ottawa ON K1A 0K9

• Health Canada maintains that the determination as to whether the use of marihuana for medical purposes is appropriate for a particular individual is best made through a discussion with their physician. In this regard, Health Canada is proposing to eliminate the categories of conditions or symptoms for which an individual may possess marihuana for medical purposes under the MMAR.
• Individuals would continue to be required to consult a physician to obtain access to marihuana for medical purposes. Since categories would be eliminated, there would no longer be a requirement for some individuals to obtain the support of a specialist in addition to their primary care physician in order to access marihuana for medical purposes.
• The existing medical declaration would be replaced by a new document provided by the physician to the individual. Health Canada will consult the medical community on the form this document will take.
• Individuals would no longer be required to submit information to Health Canada to be authorized to possess dried marihuana. Instead, they would submit their physician's document directly to a licensed commercial producer.
• Health Canada will establish an Expert Advisory Committee to improve physician access to comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information on the use of marihuana for medical purposes, thereby facilitating informed decision-making with respect to the use of marihuana for medical purposes.
• Health Canada would work with the medical community, their provincial/territorial licensing authorities and their associations on the proposed improvements to the program.

• Under the proposed redesigned program, Health Canada would no longer enter into a contract with a commercial entity to supply and distribute dried marihuana and marihuana seeds.
• The only legal source of dried marihuana would be commercial producers, who would be licensed by Health Canada to produce and distribute dried marihuana. Individuals would purchase their supply of dried marihuana from one of these licensed commercial producers.
• Personal and designated production would be phased out.
• In order to be licensed by Health Canada, licensed commercial producers would have to demonstrate compliance with requirements related to, for example, product quality, personnel, record-keeping, safety and security, disposal and reporting, as set out in new proposed regulations. These controls would aim to ensure the quality of the product being purchased by program participants, as well as the security of production sites.
• Health Canada would establish a comprehensive compliance and enforcement regime for licensed commercial producers, centered on regular audits and inspections.
• Licensed commercial producers would be required to comply with specific product labelling and packaging requirements. The label and/or the package itself could be one way by which a program participant could demonstrate that their supply of marihuana is legal.
• Licensed commercial producers would only be permitted to produce marihuana indoors.
• Licensed commercial producers would be able to produce any strain(s) of marihuana, thus giving individuals greater choice as to which strain(s) they wish to use.
• Licensed commercial producers would set the price for marihuana for medical purpose.
• Licensed commercial producers would only be able to send the dried marihuana they cultivate to individuals by registered mail or bonded courier.

• Dried Marihuana Production, Distribution and Disposition
  • indoor production in a non-residential area;
  • physical security standards;
  • product quality standards;
  • packaging and labelling standards; and
  • requirements for the disposal of excess plant material, excess dried marihuana and/or expired dried marihuana.
• Personnel
  • designation of an individual responsible for managing the production and distribution of dried marihuana; and
  • specific qualifications for all personnel involved in production and distribution.
• Record-keeping and Reporting
  • requirements to keep records relating to all on-site activities for a set period of time, and the ability to provide set records to Health Canada on request; and
  • requirements for reporting on activities associated with the cultivation of marihuana and the distribution of dried marihuana.
• Compliance and Enforcement
  • pre-qualification audits and pre-licence inspections; and
  • inspections and/or audits on an ongoing basis.

• Category 1: any symptom treated as part of compassionate end-of-life care or for symptoms related to specific medical conditions, namely:
  • Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis, a spinal cord injury;
  • Severe pain, cachexia, anorexia, weight loss, and/or severe nausea from cancer or HIV/AIDS infection;
  • Severe pain from severe forms of arthritis; or,
  • Seizures from epilepsy.
• Category 2: a debilitating symptom that is associated with a medical condition or with the medical treatment of that condition, other than those described in Category 1.

• Apply for a personal-use production licence authorizing them to grow their own supply of marihuana; or,
• Designate someone to produce on their behalf under a designated-person production licence.
• Purchase dried marihuana from Health Canada

Farfenugen said:

I am Canadian and as such I am always distressed at knowing too well that marijuana will never be legalized here. I am a conservative and have voted conservative all my life for various reasons, yet realise that the issue of legalization is a touchy subject here, basically because most of us either subscribe to the facts that it's a gateway drug or something as harmless as a simple home remedy that makes you feel great. And based on that, coming from a country that consumes more beer and wine than France or Britain combined, the very idea of becoming Amsterdam North gives us a sense of returning to the heyday of the hippie. Sure, the granola bran muffin brigade is in every community, protesting this, that and the other, wearing beads and prancing about as if they had something to prance about, smoking the devil weed and having unprotected lesbian-earth-mother-anarchist sex, but it's much more than the ideology of it all.

You see, in the eyes of the government (The Blue Meanies), we, the public don't really know what's good for us. We're far too stupid. We watch sit-coms, are engaged in the ritualistic acts of celebrity worship, wasteful gossip, fast food, 2012 the world is going to end and an endless decay of morality-based ramblings; be they some singer's boob being shown, a riot over the loss of a sports game or an indiscretion of the pope or some such other nonsense. As I've mentioned before, legalization isn't about marijuana, it's about morals, money and minds.

And to have us all looned-out on the goofy greenery seems like a perfect technique to have us all bow down to the almighty grand poobah sitting up on his throne on Parliament Hill. The flip-side of that 95 cent coin is that us Canadians are too damn polite, worried and apologetic given the fact that across the border lies the land of the free and home of the brave and all them darn bombs eh, not to mention those silly robed Christian Right demigods who control the minds and hearts of quite a few politicians, not to mention the media such as CNN (the mouth-piece of all that is amber waves of grain and build 'em up/knock 'em down dirtiness). The media today seems to be on the right hand of "you should be ashamed of yourselves".

Sex is a far greater sin than war will ever be. Toss into that degree of time wasted is the culture of feeling good and having the right to enjoy your own body type of deal, without all the shame. Have a drink, or a steak. Make love to the wife on Saturday night, perhaps say "fuck" once in awhile and making no big deal of it all. Yet, when it comes to doing it out in public there's some sort of "morality clause" built into our fragile, western-brainwashed psyches. Liberal thinkers? I think not. Then we hear that a few Catholic priests were caught with their pants down in the altar boy's changing room. But it's not their fault - no. So they're forgiven and sent to some out-of-the-way jungle to whip the natives into believing in Santa Clause. And while you're down there, burn the devil's foilage. It'll make it easier once they find out about McDonald's, Paris Hilton and Prozac.

I support legalization 100%. So do a majority of common sense folk out there (most of whom have prescriptions for one illness, chronic syndrome or worry). The very idea of going into your back yard and picking some flowers, making a nice cup of tea and being able to function on a daily basis is about as backwards as a person can get. Why, there's all sorts of nasty side effects that can occur, smiling for one thing, having an appetite another, or spending all your hard earned money on such things as wine, or cheese or that new pair of shoes you had your eye on. What's the big deal? It's all subsidized anyway. Where would you be without Zanex or Chemotherapy or Ritalin or danduff shampoo or latex condoms?

Can you imagine what the CEO's of a big multi-national pharmaceutical company would do? They'd be forced to drive Volvo's. No private white jets in private jet hangers, no swanky hotels with skanky hoe hookers, no bookies or horses with fancy gold bridles, or mistresses dressed up in half-alive dresses, the people would wake up and know they're all right, no need for a pill to sleep through the night or keep up a pecker sure to cause fright. Keep them drugged-up with legal subsidized M&M's, dumb them down with brain-numbing entertainment, hop up their kids with refined white sugars, corn syrups and starches and bring on a war or two to throw them off the scent that "Yes, Virginia, you do have the right to self-medicate or walk around naked in your own home". This can waken the populace to knowing and taking charge of their own bodies, minds and spirits. It's wrong.

But hey, don't take my word for it, I'm just some nasty criminal hell-bent on warping the minds of the young by growing some herbs along side my raddishes. Shit, I may even be jailed for tossing a salad one day or kissing my wife in public. Sooner or later they'll either fall under the feet of a revolution or become more powerful by further dumbing us down. The status quo is pretty safe and comfortable. Why rock the boat? You'll only drown.

I rambled.

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Farfenugen said:

You entirely missed the point I was making, I was smacking it in the face. Meaning: that no matter what we want, no matter who controls the wording of any bill or company, the little guy will always be left holding the thin end of the wedge. Harper, is merely a follower of what the big 'ol USA says and does. You must remember, the DEA is a power un to itself, ever since Nixon made this little green herb enemy number one, the rest of the world followed suit. I voted for the Conservatives on other issues, some personal, some common sense ones. That was that. But as far as lealization, I am and always have been, for it. You, my friend, sound like an obvious NDPer. As you know, the NDP are pro-socialism. That it itself, is a nail in the coffin against freedom. And most of the media we Canadians view, comes from America (land of all reality television).

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woodsmaneh! said:

Yup it's a screw up. The gov will appeal again and stall anyway they can. I heard Harper wants to make it even harder to get legal. The law says you can grow and posses but not smoke makes no sense.

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