Health Canada to Drop Medical Marijuana Grow-op Licenses
After admitting it is ill-equipped to track abuses of the medical marijuana grow-op licenses it issues, Health Canada says it wants to eliminate them altogether and replace them with a mail-order system.
"With over 20,000 Canadians using medical marijuana and each of them theoretically being able to grow it in their own home, this creates a system that would require massive amounts of people to inspect thousands of homes," a spokesman told Sun News.
"The new system will be designed to eliminate as much abuse as possible while making sure patients who have been prescribed medical marijuana are able to access it."
While false reports surfaced Thursday that Health Canada had no record of a single inspection of any grow-op it licensed, Johanne Bealieu, director of the Medical Marijuana Access Program (MMAP), scrambled to tell Sun News it has indeed conducted inspections.
"We do about 160 inspections a year," she said. "We did 75 inspections of license holders under the MMAP in 2010."
Regardless, Health Canada wants to stop issuing the two classes of licenses to grow -- one gives the medical marijuana user permission to grow; the other allows an individual to produce the drug on behalf of the user) -- and replace it with a mail-order system.
The new program would eliminate licenses from getting into the hands of organized crime groups, Beaulieu said.
An RCMP report found roughly one-third of marijuana trafficking and production cases involved licensed individuals growing more than the allowable amount.
Russell Barth, a medical marijuana user and activist, believes the regulation of the drug is a necessarily complex issue and that any proposed solution should reflect that.
Simply eliminating all licenses because a few have been abused by gangs will likely not deter criminal organizations, which produce and distribute drugs regardless of licenses, and will hurt the people the program was intended to help.
- Read the entire article at Toronto Sun.
Comments
This is stupid. Just legalize
This is stupid.
Just legalize marijuana,
Stop Harper!
Mail Delivery
This is really short sited and a dangerous thing for them to do! If they make it so everyone has to recieve their medicine through the mail, puts mail delivery personel in a very dangerous position, i can see mail personel getting ambushed as they deliver someones order and it puts the end users in a dangerous position too if criminals begin to target them to steal their supplies of the herb becuase they are no longer able to get it on the street! All this does is put a alot of innocent and sick people in danger of being robbed! This is very very bad!
Beware
If gangs infiltrate the post system mmap will go apeshit :0 thanks oppressive govt for retreating back into the stoneage once again
Also, I have a license to
Also, I have a license to grow. Once you take care of your initial costs it is fairly cheap to grow if done economically. If I am forced to buy from Health Canada I won't be able to afford it. Also their pot is terrible.
It taste wors then S&*#@
I'm a new MMJ user and I'm stuck waithing on my plants to grow. In the mean time I'm stuck with wath the goverment is selling me and the only way I can take it ic in goods that have lots of pumkin spice in it other wise the taste and smells make me sick.... It removes the sickness but the government stuff causes gag reflex it so crapy.
Believe nothing Sun News has
Believe nothing Sun News has to say.
Mail Delivery Yet another smart idea from Heath Canda lol
Once again they want to start making changes without thinking of any of the repercussions. They just want to take the power of helping out of the hands of the ppl. So what will happen when the drug dogs are called to every post office because of the intense smell of Marijuana??? They don't think it will be easier for the gangs to now use the mail system. Why do we keep taking 1 step forward and 3 steps back. This is a bad idea!
Over grow the Government.
Oh and stop Harper!
Peace and Pot.
This Canada... WE used to
This Canada... WE used to have rights...but not anymore..
decriminalize (different from
decriminalize (different from legalize)
and yes, stop harper
No, decriminalization is not
No, decriminalization is not the answer. Sell it the same way alcohol is sold - fully legal. That allows individuals to grow their own but not sell.
Good Bye Amsterdam... Hello Vansterdam!?
decriminalizing seems unlikely, there will just be an increase in illegal market because ppl wont be afraid to posses. Netherlands is the only decriminalized country that provided a way for ppl to legally obtain pot even though it can not be legally grown. There is still a huge illegal market in netherlands and i doubt anyone wants to go in that direction. Its a complicated systems and in ways its a success and complete failure, legalizing would solve all problems including billions and billions of tax dollar to put into law enforcement and there just might be a little left over for the poor sick and dying children. A modernized legal weed factory could effectively make millions from selling potent ass shit for a dollar a gram plus a 1000% Pot Tax I have no problem paying that if it means i can smoke weed anywere, with that kinda money plus tourist dollars who knows maybe Canada will take over the worldratorict cancelled
agreed
agreed
stop Harper and that crew
Harper with a majority is even worse than I thought
And I thought he and the majority CON government would be bad.
Has to be bad for me to wish Mulroney was back Yes stop Harper.
How long until the next Federal Election? Reaally that long!
vote liberal
Vote Liberal then. They will legalize.
marijuanna
what does the right honourable mr.harper know about this?
Canadian Rights
RE: This Canada... WE used to have rights...but not anymore..
I think you need to read and comprehend the words below. There seems to be a misunderstanding by many on this site that we live in some sort of third world banana republic where elected leaders have dictatorship like powers.
Direct quote from Canadian Fundamental Freedom's and Rights:
"In today's constitutional monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Canada and Canada's Head of State. She is the personal embodiment of the Crown in Canada.
In Canada’s system of government, the power to govern is vested in the Crown but is entrusted to the government to use on behalf of the people. The Crown reminds the government of the day that the source of the power to govern rests elsewhere and that it is only given to them for a limited duration. As an enduring institution, the Crown serves to safeguard Canadians’ rights and freedoms".
Knob
why is it that weve only ever had two political parties elected in the history whom both happen to be funded by the same elite corrupted american bankers who believe that the world is better off uniting to become one country and have one elite leader who s appointed to their party by none other than the elites of course. so it doesnt matter who gets elected they always get what the want. If we never had ways of excaping political terror like travelling across the world to America then the human race probly wouldnt even exist. We have the right to live in the country best suited to our needs. If they were all united they could do whatever they wont and there would be no escaping for anyone.... SO i say Fuck Conservative.. Fuck liberal( even though they wanna legalize) Lets try something knew I hear the green party and marijuana party have and alliance im not sure if that means there pro pot now but i say try it out
Re: Canadian Rights
You are so right!
This whole topic is seriously upsetting me. I live in pain 24/7/365 and this is going to make life much more difficult. I live in a condo, and need my license to smoke mj, or it is difficult to smoke at home. I even block my door cracks with a blanket (which is hard for me to do) and open my patio door, as to not bother anyone one with my problems walking in the hall by my door. Sorry I'm just venting about this subject. I'll stop now. Seasons greeting to all.
It seems when the government
It seems when the government does anything to eliminate crime, it makes organized crime profit MORE, and only negatively effects law abiding citizens, and never really has any sort of effect on the criminal industry, other then making more money the harder things are to get. Sick, disabled and dying people, growing marijuana, should be at the bottom of Canada's priority list when it comes to trying to eliminate crime. This is a plant, if you have the means to grow it, it should be free.
cost
Some people can't afford 300 a z + tax .. this is insane please stop
What will the cost be for
What will the cost be for poor grade mail-order meds? What I grow is cheep, organic, and not bought from and 'overment hypocrite at 300beans a ohzee. This simply will make me a criminal.
Never stop, overgrow the 'overment.
What me worry
This is unconstitutional, how even if someone believes something can have medicinal or entertainment uses beyond what the government allows them to be used for, they arent free to consume or produce it. Especially when some people are allowed to grow and smoke. There are more arrests each year for possession then there are for trafficking anyways! Way more!
Frankly, I want to smoke it anyways, legal or not, so it makes no difference other then I cant go outside and feel comfortable and safe. Which all humans should have an equal right to do.
Theres no point in controlling a substance that has been so closely tied with our culture for thousands of years, which indicates there are different reasons other than just "Health" or "gang" concerns stopping this from becoming legal. Such as possibly ... hmm MONEY
blind deaf and dumb
seems like whenever we read about the goverment they're taking some laws while all the comments reflect that no-one wants these new restrictions. when will they start to listen to the f-ing people that put them in the position they feel they've earned it and cant be told otherwise.
I WILL ALWAYS GROW WHATEVER PLANT I FEEL. I COME FROM THIS PLANET AND WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING IT HAS TO OFFER.
true
The growing of plants for food medicine etc is an absolute human right. Agree.
The licencing has been abused
The licencing has been abused and misused from the start. Many many people who actually need marijuana as a medicine can not access a licence even though its supposed to be fairly easy. Doctors that do help with filling in the required paperwork charge a fee while the licence is supposed to be free. First off marijuana is expensive enough for anyone whos stuck on a disability pension let alone all the over paid doctors taking advantage of everyone they can (much like politicians do). So who are we still supporting ?? ... We are sheep being led around by several different entities ... government, doctors, pharmaceutical companies and yes even activist groups, None of whom actually give a damn about handicapped people or people in need. All they ac tually care about is themselves especially when one considers that the marijuana is almost double the asking street price at the rallies such as the one in Vancouver.
I mean come on $20 a friggin gram !!?? Steal from the sheep to support the few is the only way it ever works.
Grow your own and fuck the law, fuck the government and fuck the doctors and all the whining done at rallys by the few who couldnt care less whether you as an individual are in need or not and avoid being gouged out of your hard earned dollars by the few. Some of whom are relaxing in luxury in jail raking in your dollars cause they broke the border laws ... 5 years? we should all be so lucky.
if everyone could just grow
if everyone could just grow there own there would be no organized crime interested in it!
OK You legalize it and put it
OK You legalize it and put it into the hands of the government. They make money and believe you me that they'll be charging so much for pot that you will not be able to buy it. Look at the price of gas.. tax. Look at the price of alcohol .. tax. When they control the pot situation as well you'll be paying out the ass for it. Right now the price stabilizes itself. One dealer charges too much you go to another so prices stay competitive. You let the government create yet another monopoly and you're screwed. You think they will let people grow it just because they legalize it? Then anyone that does grow will be looking at a serious jail sentence. Just try making your own booze. That's legal but they'll throw your ass in jail if you try and make your own. Ethanol is legal for fuel but don't try to make your own BUSTED!!!. Yeh Let the government get even more control over you Good thought. Government already controls energy sources, gambling, alcohol, insurance,and I could go on and on.
Decriminalize YES legalize Sorry just another puppet not thinking about the outcome.
Why is it that politicians
Why is it that politicians pretent to oppose gang activity but then support it through prohibition?
What Harper is doing to
What Harper is doing to patients who need medical marijuana is to penalize them by making them purchase what they can safely grow for themselves for a tiny fraction of the costs of purchasing it from someone else.
It is inhumane to do so!
People who are ill enough to require medical marijuana cannot always afford to buy it.
Unless the government makes medical marijuana available to those who cannot afford to buy it by subsidizing the cost for them to purchase it for the same price that they can grow it themselves this is just another ploy to deny those who need medical marijuana their medication.
What's up Steve?
You are playing right into the hands of organized crime since they can afford to and therefore they will recruit people to legally grow it for them to profit off the backs of the disabled and the sick who need affordable medication.
You and your cronies won't ever get my vote again.
Your ploy to deny the people who need affordable medical marijuana is the only thing that's transparent about you and the Harper CONservatives!!!
One more thing I would like
One more thing I would like to add, is that when some people start learning this topic and not seeing any improvements, they start to quit. And this is not how it must be. Even if you're not getting good results at first, keep it up for few months till you discover good authority blogs like this where you could get enough ideas that could hadly be found even in the most expensive information products.
investing in structured settlements
So doctors don't want to be
So doctors don't want to be the gate keepers but its ok for the mailman to be? What a crock of shit!!! Worksafe BC will never allow this to happen and nor should they. Perhaps Canada post should let our idiot government know how fast they will be sued for reckless endangerment for trying to put the postman in this position. I mean if the firearms registry was hacked over 400 times how are they supposed to keep the postal service personal safe. Bring on the law suits and Constitutional challenges and let's tie this shit up in court until we can vote out this band of retards!
the licence should be Very
the licence should be Very easy to loose, i would not care if they wanted to inspect every 4 months or so. dont have the resources? we can send in images / reports for review at a later date. please dont hurt the people that need this
Calling them retards is an
Calling them retards is an insult to those who are truly retarded. They are despicable trash who need to be put out to the curb come the next election before the HARPER GOVERNMENT starts making us buy every breath of air we take from ORGANIZED CRIMINALS.
You stink worse than the new medical marijuana access law which will do nothing to stop organized crime but will make sick people pay exorbitant prices for their medication.
Anything to stop people from getting the medicine they need without paying someone else an arm and a leg for it.
Why should a select few be allowed to profit off the sick and the disabled?
Only because Harper says so.
If monkeys were as stupid and thoughtless as you and your new regulations I'd say it was a case of monkey see monkey do.
They lost the last time it went before the courts and they're back up to the same poop again. It's the same crap all over just a different shovel full.
Zero respect for prohibitionists.
If you use cannabis for medicinal reasons, but still want to put me in jail for my use of cannabis that is off the system, then screw you! You are a prohibitionist piece of garbage.
The only way our rights are going to be respected is if cannabis is legal for all adults to grow, and consume, regardles of the reasons for its consumption.
What about the Existing Mail Order System
If I understand the chronology of things regarding the whole MMAR Program the existence of grow licences; they were granted and became available because the Government Dealer was worse than biker weed.
So are med patients faced with Flin Flons Finest Mail Order and no dispensaries because they're shut down or locked up serving Mandatory Minimums, while Harpers privatized prisons have a constant supply of tenants,a business with a built in growth model only a bill away.
That ringing I hear..... is it a migraine or the sirens from a police state. As I peer into my crystal ball I wonder what awaits Marc Emery in two years upon his release, two more years for passing a joint?
If this actually happens make
If this actually happens make it your duty to fight it in every way possible. Sue the government for violating your charter rights. Make them pay for all your mail order marijuana because you can't afford it. If you have had your home invaded because of warrantless smart meter data sharing by utilities and police then fight it! It is a blatant charter violation. If police and hydro utilities can share your detailed energy use when this goes through there will be no more privacy for those who grow. Tell them to get a fucking WARRANT. It is the law and it is your charter right! Build a solarium or grow on a farm. Grow in the woods. Fuck them all!
in the hands of a criminal organization
Lol, so they're putting it in the hands of the most notorious of criminal organizations, a government, to keep it out of the hands of criminal organizations... Brilliant!
MMAR/evil Harper
you can force an election IF the MP's give a non confidence vote for the majority government. Then we can have one way sooner.... GET IT!?!
i never fell for the MMAR
i never fell for the MMAR scam.
Why should i have to beg (apply) for a license (permission) to garden?
Forcing fictional corporate contracts through terrorism, fraud and coercion, upon people for growing flowers is a crime, especially if you're a government employee.
Terrorizing people is a crime, and the public trustees involved are bound by the criminal code of Canada.
growing cannabis is not unlawful and is not a crime. Government statutes and corporate rules do not apply to harmless people, unless they are employed by the government/corporations.
Governments acting in breach of trust must be dealt with administratively.
Organized crime, governmemts and crown corporations which collude in the "war on drugs" is by definition terrorism, along with fraud, treason and a host of other charges.
growing cannabis may be illegal but it is not unlawful, terrorizing people for gardening is unlawful and criminal, case closed.
puppets,all puppets
A plant Ford used for fuel for all the cars he made,the hemp was natural,no fossil fuels killing the enviroment,HEMP can run your vehicle,why fossil fuels??? Government outlawed Fords Fuel for his cars,he had to destroy all his hemp, fields of it wich was used for running all automobiles,hmph, HEY HARPER,DID YOU HEAR THAT,YOU HOLD THE BAND AID THAT CAN HELP OUR OZONE HEAL, I THOUGHT CANADA WAS A RESPECTFUL COUNTRY,HMPH,HARPER YOU ARE AN AMERICAN PUPPET,YET THEY SEEM TO BE WELL AHEAD OF US CANADIANS AND OUR LAWS,I NEED MY OWN, I LIKE ORGANICS ONLY, YOUR WEED THAT YOU ALREADY SEND IN THE MAIL, INSIDE FLAT FOIL POUCHES,LOOKS LIKE SOMEONES EXPERIMENT THROWN INTO A BLENDER THEN THROWN IN A BAG,DRY AS A BONE,GROUND UP STALKS AS WELL,HMPH, HOW AWFUL,IT IS GARBAGE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MAKES ME SICK AND SHAKE ??? I WILL NEVER GET FROM THIS GOVERNMENT,LIKE MANY OTHERS AS WELL,THE ILLEGAL GROWERS ARE PRESSURING OUR SAFE SITES AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN,FEARING THEY WILL LOSE ALL THERE ILLEGAL PROFITS. THEY DO NOT WANT ANY LOSSES ,SO ORGANIZED ,UNDERGROUND GROWERS TURN LEGAL,CROOKS ARE PISSED OFF ABOUT LOSING GROWERS WHO TURN LEGAL.AS WELL THE ORGANIZED ILLEGALS ARE PISSED OFF THAT THE PEOPLE IN NEED OF MEDICINAL HAVE LEFT THE BLACK MARKET,FOR SAFE WATERS,BUT THERE ARE MANY SHARKS THERE, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,ILLEGALS FORCING THERE WANTS ON SICK PEOPLE. AS FOR ANYTHING IN THE MAIL? GETS STOLEN ALWAYS,AS WELL HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS GAME IS OUR GOVERNMENT(FEDERAL)GOING TO PLAY,THEY TRULY DO NOT! CARE ABOUT THE ILL PEOPLE THAT NEED THIS PLANT,IF WE COULD GROW OUR OWN ORGANICALLY, WHY NOT? LESS STRAIN ON HEALTH CARE!!! HAPPY PATIENTS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD BE SUFFERING A HORRIBLE QUALITY OF LIFE,I PREFER TO EAT IT,AS WELL SMOKE,BUT I CANNOT DO THIS IF MY GOVERNMENT DOES NOT STOP TO SEE THE SUFFERING WITHOUT THIS PLANT.I WISH THAT ALL WOULD WORK OUT SO I FEEL BETTER, I AM TIRED OF BEING SICK EVERY DAY,IN PAIN EVERY DAY,THIS PLANT HAS THE ONLY INFLAMMATION AGENT I CAN USE WITHOUT IT MAKING ME VERY SICK OR KILLING ME.THANKS FOR READING,I PRAY WE HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART UP HERE IN CANADIAN MEDICINAL POT LAWS.
HEALTH CANADA HOLDING UP RENEWALS
tALKED TO hEALTH CANADA TODAY STILL DO NOT HAVE MY RENEWAL THAT WAS MAILED APRIL 20TH RECIEVED ON APRIL 25TH AND NOW THEY SAY IT IS UNDER REVIEW? WHAT DOES A PERSON DO WHEN THE LICENSE IS EXPIRED AND THEY HELLTH CANADA CAN NOT GET THERE SHIT TOGETHER TO GET OUR LICENCES TO PATIENTS. hELP
HEALTH CANADA HOLDING UP RENEWALS
tALKED TO hEALTH CANADA TODAY STILL DO NOT HAVE MY RENEWAL THAT WAS MAILED APRIL 20TH RECIEVED ON APRIL 25TH AND NOW THEY SAY IT IS UNDER REVIEW? WHAT DOES A PERSON DO WHEN THE LICENSE IS EXPIRED AND THEY HELLTH CANADA CAN NOT GET THERE SHIT TOGETHER TO GET OUR LICENCES TO PATIENTS. hELP
Slaves have no rights
Most people are just slaves to the system. All the intellectual/intelligent arguements made for legal medical marijuana use go on deaf ears, as corporate interests outweigh those of the people.
Well, that adds one more mail
Well, that adds one more mail order company to the list that either rips your off entirely (Most places), or just sends completly inferior product for the price (Other places plus the Canadian governmnet now). Im am glad I have a few reliable sources, and dont have to deal with that shit anymore. Pot2peer.com, Ilovemymom.biz(I havent ordered in a while and heard they might have closed), and green_haze@safe-mail.net. My needs are satisfied, and I can officially say FUCK YOU canadian government, and man Im high.
The mail order system consist
The mail order system consist of growing the weed yourself without the need for any licence,do the trimming,drying and curing all by yourself and then a few days before Christmas or anytime of the year as a matter of fact stuffing it in your own mailbox and some time later checking your mailbox pretending you are surprised that your order is already in.
Health Canada: out of my pot pot !
This is getting so ridiculous
This is getting so ridiculous it's almost laughable...just legalize it and avoid all this inspection, mail-order absurdity! Why is it so hard for people to just accept that legalizing it would be beneficial for EVERYONE??
So us People with
So us People with MS/Cancer/and other Critical medical Diseases Have to suffer this is not Fair esp. to low income people . Is the Goverment going to supply those with low income ?
So us People with
So us People with MS/Cancer/and other Critical medical Diseases Have to suffer this is not Fair esp. to low income people . Is the Goverment going to supply those with low income ?
Maybe this will teach all of
Maybe this will teach all of you that voted for Harper and all his crooked a$$ friends
Lets get back to liberal run government in Canada
CONServatives CON Canada
They didn't tell us this shit was coming when they ran for the last election. In fact they said nothing about it until after they CONned Canadians out of their votes.
This is typical CONservative misrepresentation.
Next election lets all get out the vote against these CONS.
They could end up without enough seats to get official opposition party status.
No CONservative seats means they get no say and very few Canadian tax dollars to fill their war chest, that is their war (on drugs and Canadians) chest.
Hardship to licencees
This will create real hardship for me. The use of weed has helped my illness immensely and I am now used to about 5 g/day. Put $29,000 into equipment that now can't be used and didn't get near the payback. Now will have to pay full price as well? So much for my disability pension.