Monday, March 22, 2004
Medical marijuana headed for pharmacies
TORONTO - Health Canada is preparing to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies later this year.
British Columbia will be the location of a pilot program modeled on a year-old program in the Netherlands. It would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore.
There are 78 medical users in Canada permitted to buy Health Canada marijuana, grown in Flin Flon, Manitoba. The 30-gram bags of dried buds, which sell for $150 each, are sent by courier directly to patients or to their doctors.
But the department is changing the regulations to allow participating pharmacies to stock marijuana for sale to approved patients without a doctor's prescription.
A notice of the change is expected to be made public this spring.
Less than 15 grams
The amount of marijuana a person could possess without facing criminal charges if the new federal marijuana laws are passed. Possession of a small amount of marijuana would still be illegal though; people found with less than 15 grams of pot could face a small fine, similar to a traffic ticket.
1.7 million
The number of Canadians who used marijuana in 1994 (about seven per cent of the population), according to Statistics Canada. Twice as many males than females smoked pot, and the vast majority (70 per cent) were between the ages of 15 and 24. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that about 1.5 million Canadians smoke marijuana recreationally.
600,000
The estimated number of Canadians who have criminal records for marijuana possession, according to the Justice Canada.
1923
The year marijuana became illegal in Canada. The decision to make pot illegal has been criticized because cannabis was added to the illegal drugs list without parliamentary debate.
1937
The year the first marijuana-related charges were laid in Canada. It was also the year marijuana became illegal in the United States.
1961
The year the United Nations made it a violation of international law to legalize marijuana.
2001
The year Canada made it legal for some people to smoke marijuana for medical reasons.
582
The number of Canadians who have Ottawa's permission to smoke marijuana for medical reasons, as of July 9, 2003. Health Canada said it had received a total of 1,145 applications from people wishing to legally smoke since the medical marijuana access regulations came into effect in 2001. Thirty-five to 50 new applications are received each month.
370
The number of kilograms of marijuana Ottawa said it had produced as of July 9, 2003. About 50 kilograms had been packaged in 30-gram bags ready for distribution.
10 per cent
The approximate concentration of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) in the federally produced marijuana. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.
12
The number of U.S. states that have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Australia and many European countries have done the same.
$150 million
The amount of money that would be saved in court costs each year if marijuana possession was decriminalized, according to Canadian Alliance MP Keith Martin.
Makes me wonder….
TORONTO - Health Canada is preparing to make government-certified marijuana available in pharmacies later this year.
British Columbia will be the location of a pilot program modeled on a year-old program in the Netherlands. It would allow medical users to buy marijuana at their local drugstore.
There are 78 medical users in Canada permitted to buy Health Canada marijuana, grown in Flin Flon, Manitoba. The 30-gram bags of dried buds, which sell for $150 each, are sent by courier directly to patients or to their doctors.
But the department is changing the regulations to allow participating pharmacies to stock marijuana for sale to approved patients without a doctor's prescription.
A notice of the change is expected to be made public this spring.
Less than 15 grams
The amount of marijuana a person could possess without facing criminal charges if the new federal marijuana laws are passed. Possession of a small amount of marijuana would still be illegal though; people found with less than 15 grams of pot could face a small fine, similar to a traffic ticket.
1.7 million
The number of Canadians who used marijuana in 1994 (about seven per cent of the population), according to Statistics Canada. Twice as many males than females smoked pot, and the vast majority (70 per cent) were between the ages of 15 and 24. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that about 1.5 million Canadians smoke marijuana recreationally.
600,000
The estimated number of Canadians who have criminal records for marijuana possession, according to the Justice Canada.
1923
The year marijuana became illegal in Canada. The decision to make pot illegal has been criticized because cannabis was added to the illegal drugs list without parliamentary debate.
1937
The year the first marijuana-related charges were laid in Canada. It was also the year marijuana became illegal in the United States.
1961
The year the United Nations made it a violation of international law to legalize marijuana.
2001
The year Canada made it legal for some people to smoke marijuana for medical reasons.
582
The number of Canadians who have Ottawa's permission to smoke marijuana for medical reasons, as of July 9, 2003. Health Canada said it had received a total of 1,145 applications from people wishing to legally smoke since the medical marijuana access regulations came into effect in 2001. Thirty-five to 50 new applications are received each month.
370
The number of kilograms of marijuana Ottawa said it had produced as of July 9, 2003. About 50 kilograms had been packaged in 30-gram bags ready for distribution.
10 per cent
The approximate concentration of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) in the federally produced marijuana. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.
12
The number of U.S. states that have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Australia and many European countries have done the same.
$150 million
The amount of money that would be saved in court costs each year if marijuana possession was decriminalized, according to Canadian Alliance MP Keith Martin.
Makes me wonder….
