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Come April 1, Canada’s 40,000 medical marijuana users ­ — equivalent to a small city — must buy their marijuana from a handful of licensed companies. Users say prices will spike and they also fear police will knock on their door if they don’t get rid of their marijuana stockpile. Hank Daniszewski reports.

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OLD RULES

  • Doctors and nurse practitioners issue prescription for patient to use marijuana. Patient must have at least one of 31 medical conditions, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or arthritis, to be eligible.
  • Medical marijuana users able to grow their own marijuana or obtain it from the federal government or a person designated to grow it for them.

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NEW RULES

  • As of April 1, medical marijuana users won’t be allowed to grow their own marijuana.
  • Users must buy the drug from a government-licensed producer.
  • About a dozen companies have licences, including WeedMDRX Inc. operating in the former Imperial tobacco plant in Aylmer. About 450 companies have applied for licences.
  • The federal government will require medical marijuana users to submit a form declaring they’ve stopped production and have destroyed any plants, seeds or dried product by April 30.

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HOW WE GOT HERE

  • In 2001, the Medical Marijuana Access Program allowed “grow your own” production in private homes and small-scale distribution.
  • In 2012, federal Health Minister Leona Agglukkaq said the number of medical marijuana users was growing “exponentially” and was threatening public safety, because home grow-ops were causing fires and spurring home invasions.

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WHAT'S BEING SAID

"Dried marijuana is not an approved drug or medicine in Canada. The government of Canada does not endorse the use of marijuana, but the courts have required reasonable access to a legal source of marijuana when authorized by a physician."

Health Canada

"Police don’t want to be seen using their resources to punish the sick."

Chris Jones, proprietor of Shop 420 on Dundas St. E. that sells marijuana smoking and growing supplies and advises customers on how to get a medical marijuana licence

"If we need to enter the residence, we will get a warrant. It’s no different from any other criminal investigation."

Const. Ken Steeves, spokesperson for London police

"People who are unemployed, on welfare or disabled are going to have enormous problems if their consumption is not marginal. But we don’t if that’s 5, 10 or 30 % of the population.”

Alan Young, a York University law professor who helped spur the federal government to set up the medical marijuana system

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THE BOTTOM LINE FOR  A LONDON USER

It’s no April Fool’s joke.

At the end of this month, Kevin Wetzel won’t be allowed to grow the marijuana he’s legally allowed to use.

What’s more, the London resident is supposed to get rid of his supply of marijuana that he says is worth $4,500.

Wetzel is one of an estimated 40,000 medical marijuana users in Canada who will be affected by changes to the federal government’s medical marijuana program.

New rules mean that users can no longer grow their own marijuana or get it from a person authorized to grow it for them. Instead, they must buy marijuana from a company licensed to produce it.

Wetzel is on disability pension and scrapes by growing his own marijuana at a cost of less than $1 a gram.

He says he can’t afford the $5 to $10 a gram licensed producers will charge.

Wetzel was shocked to discover he has to dispose of his supply or risk having police knock at his door. Users are being told to chop up and soak their supply, mix it with kitty litter, throw it out and notify the government they’ve done so.

“I’m trying to build up a supply. Now what? Are they are going to take me to jail for that?”

When the changes kick in, many users will simply go back to the street to buy marijuana illegally and police will be forced to track down hundreds of medical marijuana users, Wetzel says.

“That’s a lot of doors to kick down and a lot of people to throw in jail.”

hank.daniszewski@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/HankatLFPress

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BY THE NUMBERS

40,000: medical marijuana users in Canada

10,459: Ontarians authorized to possess medical marijuana

5,823: Ontarians allowed to grow medical marijuana for their own consumption

3 million: medical marijuana plants cultivated in Canada last year

31: medical conditions that can be treated with a marijuana prescription

$4.50 - $10: range of prices for one gram of marijuana listed on producer websites

$1.3 billion: estimated size of medical marijuana market by 2024

Sources: Health Canada, producer websites

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THE PRIVACY FIGHT FOR A SARNIA USER

SARNIA — By the end of April, Cory Kaus is supposed to tell Health Canada he’s gotten rid of his leftover medical marijuana.

If he doesn’t comply, the department will tell police, he says.

“They are completely breaching our privacy by doing so. . . . They’re going to out us to the RCMP,” Kaus says.

“I thought that was between me, my doctor and Health Canada.”

Kaus, 37, of Sarnia has been licensed for two years to use marijuana for severe nerve damage and osteoarthritis.

He’s one of an estimated 40,000 medical marijuana users who will have to comply with new rules for the federal program that shift production of marijuana from users or designated growers to a dozen or so licensed producers.

A Health Canada spokesperson said the changes will enhance public and community safety. An RCMP report last year said criminal groups are using the medical marijuana system to obtain and distribute the drug.

“Health Canada respects all pertinent privacy requirements,” Sara Lauer wrote in an e-mail to QMI Agency.

Kaus isn’t convinced. He plans to attend a rally April 1 to protest the new changes.

“Dirt is being thrown upon us and we’re eight feet under already, trying to climb out,” Kaus says. “We’re all there with disabilities. It’s insane what they’re doing to us patients.”

Tyler Kula, QMI Agency

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