There are a number of inaccuracies in this article, but it is understandable considering how much of a fiasco the situation really is.
Medical Marijuana Alliance and Resources members can melt their pot into food, like into baked goods, coconut oil, olive oil, etc. At least that is what I was told on the phone by a Health Canada official. We cannot, however, make tinctures, as that is considered a concentrated form of cannabis.
The absurdity continues: We cannot sift the tricromes off to make “hash” – which is safer to smoke – because it is considered a concentrated form of cannabis. We can, however, use a vaporizer, which eliminates the dangers associated with smoking.
MMAR regulations themselves have been ruled unconstitutional four times, and since the regulations were never entrenched in law, they are really nothing more than arbitrary rules. As such, the participants in the MMAR program are — technically — under no legal obligation to adhere to these regulations, nor do the police, government, or judiciary have any legal jurisdiction to enforce them. The reason is, they didn’t amend the legislation to accommodate these regulations.
“If we accept that medical marijuana is an effective pain-relieving medication,” Health Canada does not recognize the medical efficacy of cannabis at ALL. Their official position is that pot is dangerous and hasn’t been tested enough to be used as a standardized medicine – which is not even close to true as there have been over 20,000 studies done. The reason the government even has the program is because they were forced to do it by the court rulings. “…then I see no difference in allowing the distributors to cook it, blend it, or process it in whichever way to ensure that people who cannot smoke are offered an alternative form of the substance.” The government — after being lobbied by police — regard this activity as concentrating the medicine. To the cops, anything other than dried bud is the same as opium or cocaine or meth.
If “The focus is on the well-being of those who are suffering from pain caused by illness, accidents or other causes”, then legalization is necessary. Keeping pot illegal merely subsidizes gangsters and cops. It is outrageously counterproductive — more so than any other government policy on the books.
Russell Barth
Federally-licensed medical marijuana user
Drug reform analyst and consultant
Educators for Sensible Drug Policy
