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MONTREAL (Reuters) - Canadian activists for the medicinal use of marijuana
celebrated a court victory on Thursday by launching an Internet site
offering home delivery of cannabis for seriously ill people.
Saying it would even offer tax deductions for orders, the Marijuana Party
Foundation took the unprecedented step after Quebec Superior Court Judge
Gilles Cadieux stopped the drug-trafficking trial of two volunteers from
Compassion Club of Montreal, a group that provides marijuana for medicinal
purposes.
In his long-awaited decision, Judge Cadieux agreed that the pair,
Marc-Boris St-Maurice, 33, and Alexandre Neron, 22, had planned to sell
marijuana when they were arrested almost three years ago. But the judge
noted that it was unconstitutional to deny patients access to the drug.
Judge Cadieux said he did not have the authority to rule on the
constitutionality of Canada's marijuana laws. Prosecutors did not indicate
whether they would appeal his decision.
Earlier this month, a parliamentary committee urged the Canadian
government to relax its laws on possession of marijuana. The committee on
the nonmedical use of drugs said marijuana should be decriminalized, but
not legalized, an idea US drug control officials quickly condemned.
Home Delivery of Marijuana
Elated by Judge Cadieux's decision, St-Maurice hailed it as both a moral
and legal victory. The Marijuana Party Foundation, operated by the
federally chartered Marijuana Party, reacted to the ruling by immediately
launching a Web Site offering to dispense therapeutic cannabis.
The Web Site, www.marijuanahomedelivery.ca, offers two formats of "highest
quality therapeutic cannabis" with a THC content of 8% or more. A two-gram
package sells for C$30 ($19) while Internet surfers can order a 10 gram
shipment for C$120.
"You are not contributing to organized crime. All revenues raised from our
service go to advance efforts to end cannabis prohibition," the
organization promises on its Web Site.
Those wishing to order marijuana via the Web Site must be Canadian
citizens residing in Canada, 18 years of age, and provide a doctor's
diagnosis of an illness known to be treatable or alleviated through the
use of cannabis.
"It's an online Compassion Club to serve all Canadians who would have a
need for medical marijuana," St-Maurice told Reuters.
Medicinal Cannabis Legal in Canada
Canadian law allows access to medical marijuana for a certain patients.
Canada's Office of Cannabis Medical Access oversees regulations brought
down in July 2001 that allow marijuana use by people suffering from grave
and debilitating illnesses.
Applicants include those who have a terminal illness or serious medical
conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord disease, cancer or
AIDS/HIV infection.
The Canadian government is working on the cultivation of a safe and
standardized supply of marijuana for use as a medical treatment.
But that supply is not yet available and those seeking medicinal marijuana
must turn elsewhere for access to the drug. Often, they must apply for a
license to grow the marijuana themselves or seek it on the street.
St-Maurice said the Marijuana Party Foundation does not have permits from
the Canadian government allowing the group to sell cannabis online. Its
Internet initiative also does not have the consent of the Canadian Medical
Association or other professional groups.
But St-Maurice said those hurdles will not prevent the Web Site from
taking orders and shipping marijuana.
"In January, we'll be starting to offer tax deductions for the marijuana
we sell online," he said.
Pubdate: Thursday, December 19, 2002
Author: Robert Melnbardis
Source: Reuters
celebrated a court victory on Thursday by launching an Internet site
offering home delivery of cannabis for seriously ill people.
Saying it would even offer tax deductions for orders, the Marijuana Party
Foundation took the unprecedented step after Quebec Superior Court Judge
Gilles Cadieux stopped the drug-trafficking trial of two volunteers from
Compassion Club of Montreal, a group that provides marijuana for medicinal
purposes.
In his long-awaited decision, Judge Cadieux agreed that the pair,
Marc-Boris St-Maurice, 33, and Alexandre Neron, 22, had planned to sell
marijuana when they were arrested almost three years ago. But the judge
noted that it was unconstitutional to deny patients access to the drug.
Judge Cadieux said he did not have the authority to rule on the
constitutionality of Canada's marijuana laws. Prosecutors did not indicate
whether they would appeal his decision.
Earlier this month, a parliamentary committee urged the Canadian
government to relax its laws on possession of marijuana. The committee on
the nonmedical use of drugs said marijuana should be decriminalized, but
not legalized, an idea US drug control officials quickly condemned.
Home Delivery of Marijuana
Elated by Judge Cadieux's decision, St-Maurice hailed it as both a moral
and legal victory. The Marijuana Party Foundation, operated by the
federally chartered Marijuana Party, reacted to the ruling by immediately
launching a Web Site offering to dispense therapeutic cannabis.
The Web Site, www.marijuanahomedelivery.ca, offers two formats of "highest
quality therapeutic cannabis" with a THC content of 8% or more. A two-gram
package sells for C$30 ($19) while Internet surfers can order a 10 gram
shipment for C$120.
"You are not contributing to organized crime. All revenues raised from our
service go to advance efforts to end cannabis prohibition," the
organization promises on its Web Site.
Those wishing to order marijuana via the Web Site must be Canadian
citizens residing in Canada, 18 years of age, and provide a doctor's
diagnosis of an illness known to be treatable or alleviated through the
use of cannabis.
"It's an online Compassion Club to serve all Canadians who would have a
need for medical marijuana," St-Maurice told Reuters.
Medicinal Cannabis Legal in Canada
Canadian law allows access to medical marijuana for a certain patients.
Canada's Office of Cannabis Medical Access oversees regulations brought
down in July 2001 that allow marijuana use by people suffering from grave
and debilitating illnesses.
Applicants include those who have a terminal illness or serious medical
conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord disease, cancer or
AIDS/HIV infection.
The Canadian government is working on the cultivation of a safe and
standardized supply of marijuana for use as a medical treatment.
But that supply is not yet available and those seeking medicinal marijuana
must turn elsewhere for access to the drug. Often, they must apply for a
license to grow the marijuana themselves or seek it on the street.
St-Maurice said the Marijuana Party Foundation does not have permits from
the Canadian government allowing the group to sell cannabis online. Its
Internet initiative also does not have the consent of the Canadian Medical
Association or other professional groups.
But St-Maurice said those hurdles will not prevent the Web Site from
taking orders and shipping marijuana.
"In January, we'll be starting to offer tax deductions for the marijuana
we sell online," he said.
Pubdate: Thursday, December 19, 2002
Author: Robert Melnbardis
Source: Reuters