Canada: Liberals' Vow To Legalize Pot Creating Chaos, Police Say

[Robert Celt]

Canada's frontline officers and police chiefs are alarmed by the growing chaos in the marijuana industry, saying the Liberal Party's promise to eventually legalize the drug has sparked confusion across the country.

Illegal pot dispensaries are opening up from coast to coast at the same time as some users feel they should no longer be subject to the Criminal Code, prompting law-enforcement officials to urge the Trudeau government to remind Canadians that marijuana remains an illegal drug.

The dispensaries are ostensibly set up to distribute medical marijuana, but many are believed to also sell cannabis for recreational use with the flimsiest medical evidence or documentation. The licensed producers of medical marijuana have responded by launching a lobbying campaign to persuade the government to shut down the dispensaries. At the same time, these legal producers of medical marijuana are vying to be the first in line to legally produce marijuana for recreational use.

"The discussion [surrounding legalization] that is occurring is causing a lot of confusion, even from an enforcement perspective," said Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, which represents 52,000 frontline police officers across the country.

"On the street, you have citizens who are convinced or have allowed themselves to be convinced that marijuana is now legal and it's okay to not only use it, but to manufacture and sell it." In many ways, he said, tobacco and alcohol are now more regulated and face tougher restrictions than cannabis, as some pot stores openly advertise their products and sell to minors.

In the past election, the Liberals promised to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, but the legal changes are months away as consultations with the provinces and other groups have yet to start.

"Now that the Liberals are in government, and this is an agenda that they have, there does need to be some action and messaging from them as they work toward developing the statutory framework and the ensuing regulations [for legalization]," Mr. Stamatakis said in an interview.

Saskatoon police chief Clive Weighill, who presides over the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, agreed the government needs to deal with the uncertainty created by its promise. He said police forces have cracked down on dispensaries in cities from Halifax to Nanaimo, but that the government also needs to speak out.

"The police have taken the enforcement action that we have up to date. I think it would certainly help if the government would come forth and advise people that the legislation isn't in place yet and that the laws will be enforced until it is," he said in an interview.

In a statement, Liberal MP Bill Blair said the government will not be rushed as it moves to "legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to marijuana in a careful and orderly way."

"We will take the time that is necessary to get this right,' said the government's point man on the file.

In the meantime, however, he said all current laws will apply and need to be enforced.

"Until Parliament has enacted new legislation and new rules are in place to ensure that marijuana is carefully regulated, current laws remain in force and should be obeyed," said Mr. Blair, parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice.

Mr. Stamatakis has had private discussions on the issue of legalization with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. He said he is convinced that once the drug is legalized, it will be tightly restricted.

"My first impression is that we will end up with a similar legislation and regulatory framework to what we have for alcohol and tobacco, which, from a law-enforcement perspective, is the direction we should go in," he said.

In the meantime, however, different jurisdictions are tackling the matter differently. In Vancouver, the city is moving toward a system to license a number of marijuana dispensaries. At the same time, Saskatoon has recently busted a similar establishment.

"We have an obligation to enforce the Criminal Code of Canada, but you have different levels of government, especially at the municipal level, who are taking a different approach," he said. "It is a tough challenge."

Both Mr. Stamatakis and Mr. Weighill said a key issue, as Canada moves toward a legalized marijuana market, will be finding ways to enforce laws against impaired driving.

"We would be looking for legislation around impaired driving for marijuana, possibly a recognized instrument to measure the levels of THC, like we can with alcohol," Mr. Weighill said.

He added he will also seek legislation to ensure that "anyone who is selling it to youth will be prosecuted."

News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Canada: Liberals' Vow To Legalize Pot Creating Chaos, Police Say
Author: Daniel LeBlanc
Contact: The Globe And Mail
Photo Credit: Eric Risberg
Website: The Globe And Mail

 

[Weaselcracker]

once the drug is legalized, it will be tightly restricted.

Obviously people have differing ideas of what legal means

 

[Stinky Snid]

It's ridiculous for them to say they will prosecute offender up to the and including the day they finally pass legislation. We all know they get alot of their excess cash in the budget from asset forfeiture seizure for countless crimes. Even though the folks prosecuted will be released in months and records erased, they will fight tooth and nail to keep all the seized assets. Just like they did in high River with the gun confiscation. It's about time that the government prosecutors should be told not to waste the courts time. Seriously,imo, they just want the kick backs from organized crime to continue.

 

[Kingsnake235]

Thanks for posting this. I've been following things fairly closely and am absolutely outraged at the way this process is unfolding.

There are very simple solutions available but, money and "politics" tend to trump the greater good 100% of the time here on Earth.

The licensed producers of medical marijuana have responded by launching a lobbying campaign to persuade the government to shut down the dispensaries. At the same time, these legal producers of medical marijuana are vying to be the first in line to legally produce marijuana for recreational use.

This right here. This is the thing that really gets me about this whole debacle.

Its plain as day, that this is a bunch of corporations with deep pockets, playing political games and vying for control of a pre-emptive monopolization of a yet-to-be-legalized cash-cow. Canopy Growth Corp and Tweed are in bed together running facilities in the east while trying to shut down the dispensaries in the west, where Tilray has set up shop.

The Licensed Producers control something like 7% of the market of a few hundred thousand MMJ patients in Canada with the governments mail-order service, while dispensaries serve more like 30% and the rest use the black market. (wouldn't that be a nice increase in sales if everyone but them was shutdown?)

Meanwhile, MP Bill Blair runs a district called Scarborough; guess where CGCorp and Tweed have a big new facility? Yep. Scarborough. If i recall correctly, its got the potential to house 18 large flowering rooms.

Conflict of interest much?

So, this ex-police chief could easily rule that those LP's are the only ones legally allowed to grow, which would ensure that the facility in his riding saw vastly increased production and sales, and therefor profit; i'm sure its only a short way for "donations" to trickle down into Mr Blairs riding, without him receiving a pay-off directly (of course).

One can only hope that he has an objective view of the world around him and considers more than what he's known his entire life: putting people behind bars for growing and smoking a herb, because the government said so. I'd like to have faith in the good of people, but much of what i have seen of this situation, and of course many others lately, leads me to assume the opposite will prove true.

Thankfully, we have

 

[Peter Parker]

Thanks for posting this. I've been following things fairly closely and am absolutely outraged at the way this process is unfolding.

There are very simple solutions available but, money and "politics" tend to trump the greater good 100% of the time here on Earth.



This right here. This is the thing that really gets me about this whole debacle.



Its plain as day, that this is a bunch of corporations with deep pockets, playing political games and vying for control of a pre-emptive monopolization of a yet-to-be-legalized cash-cow. Canopy Growth Corp and Tweed are in bed together running facilities in the east while trying to shut down the dispensaries in the west, where Tilray has set up shop.

I am not sure what this issue is with a business that WORKED to round up significant investors, took the huge risk into whether medical marijuana would develop favorably into a market size that would support the very expensive initial capital investment of a "grow warehouse".

Now that it's clear it was a good bet, some cockroaches popped up to jump on the band wagon and not only spoil the business opportunity of the legitimate businesses but also further stain the concept of full legalization.

The Licensed Producers control something like 7% of the market of a few hundred thousand MMJ patients in Canada with the governments mail-order service, while dispensaries serve more like 30% and the rest use the black market. (wouldn't that be a nice increase in sales if everyone but them was shutdown?)

Meanwhile, MP Bill Blair runs a district called Scarborough; guess where CGCorp and Tweed have a big new facility? Yep. Scarborough. If i recall correctly, its got the potential to house 18 large flowering rooms.

Conflict of interest much?

That in no way is a conflict of interest, though it is a clear indication that legalization will move forward, and will be supplied by a small handful of companies. That is inline with the governments mandate of strict control. They and us cannot not have a "free for all" of suppliers; they cannot all be strictly monitored for things like, supplying the black market (think "native cigarettes), using questionable chemicals for plant health, skimming on the output to avoid taxes...the list goes on. It is far more economical for us to have only a small handful that are frequently inspected, reviewed & monitored.

So, this ex-police chief could easily rule that those LP's are the only ones legally allowed to grow, which would ensure that the facility in his riding saw vastly increased production and sales, and therefor profit; i'm sure its only a short way for "donations" to trickle down into Mr Blairs riding, without him receiving a pay-off directly (of course).

Part of politics is business deals...favors. However insinuating that Tweed is going to write a big cheque to the liberals is laughable...this is Canada, not the US. The most Tweed could contribute is $1,542 per year.

Part of the "payoff" is his riding gets an economical boost, likely in turn for political favor, that's not wrong or unfair...it's a win win. The "mom & pop" operations (a business model of selling a drug is hardly a business) are simply to small to play in this game. Those individuals where not smart/clever/hard working/risk taking enough to drum up investors early in the game to be in a position that Tweed is in today. Simple as that. Should I be upset that I cannot easily compete with Coca-Cola or Pepsi? nonsense.

Learn about how Canadian political parties are funded...it's quite fair and ensures Canadian politics is not made into a giant advertising competition in turn making funding a key component to being competitive and again in turn paving the way for "deals" such as the one you imagined.

One can only hope that he has an objective view of the world around him and considers more than what he's known his entire life: putting people behind bars for growing and smoking a herb, because the government said so. I'd like to have faith in the good of people, but much of what i have seen of this situation, and of course many others lately, leads me to assume the opposite will prove true.

He will consider and will have access to opinions and advice that NO ONE else has. It's his duty, something he is well aware of. And dare I say better than most, maybe including you.

Smarten up, you know full well that in Canada people do not go to jail for smoking weed, in fact no such law exists. That would be a possession charge, for the marijuana in the joint. Which would likely result in the cop taking the joint and destroying it. Nothing stops a cop from charging one for possession regardless of the amount, however given case law such a small amount would be laughed at by the judge, crown and the cops boss.

Even the minimum mandatory sentencing for growing more than 6 plants can be circumnavigated by the judge. That was a political move of a mostly optical nature; conservative party is tough on crime!

I was in a court room when an early twenty something year old was charged for having around 70 or so plants, in a house he owned (yes in his early twenties). This was in 2006 or so. He got house arrest + a couple years of probation. That's it...they didn't even go after his assets.

He's in his early twenties, grows a ton of pot has his own house, surely the judge and crown were able to connect the dots. but still, didn't "fuck" him over. They let him kept the proceeds of a crime. That is a real world example of how this "war on drugs" in Canada is not at all similar to the one in the US. However that does not stop Canadian pot heads from claiming as much.

Contrast that to the states where there are multiple examples of parents losing their house to the state because the son/daughter was charged for possession.

 

[Kingsnake235]

I am not sure what this issue is with a business that WORKED to round up significant investors, took the huge risk into whether medical marijuana would develop favorably into a market size that would support the very expensive initial capital investment of a "grow warehouse".

Now that it's clear it was a good bet, some cockroaches popped up to jump on the band wagon and not only spoil the business opportunity of the legitimate businesses but also further stain the concept of full legalization.

so people running dispensaries are "cockroaches" now? wow.

the issue, is that they've been able to do this legally through the medical program but have used that pull to get into the recreational market, before its even a market at all. Meanwhile, the people who have been really building the medical market from the ground up, regardless of legal consequences, to help people, are being shutdown and disregarded instead of sanctioned and regulated.

That in no way is a conflict of interest, though it is a clear indication that legalization will move forward, and will be supplied by a small handful of companies.

how is it not? you say its a clear indication that legalization will move forward in the way that the LP's want, because Blair is the guy in charge, how is that not a conflict of interest? I mean, yeah, its well in blairs interests, and its in the LP's interest, but because of those things, that makes it a conflict of public interest.

we're just all of a sudden supposed to trust that these people won't do something to put themselves ahead? come on now.

they cannot all be strictly monitored for things like, supplying the black market (think "native cigarettes), using questionable chemicals for plant health, skimming on the output to avoid taxes...the list goes on. It is far more economical for us to have only a small handful that are frequently inspected, reviewed & monitored.

i agree that there must be a standard for selling a commercial product, but micro breweries do this today with beer and it works fine, theres no reason that ONLY corporations should be allowed to grow and sell. Thats preposterous.

Part of politics is business deals...favors. However insinuating that Tweed is going to write a big cheque to the liberals is laughable...this is Canada, not the US. The most Tweed could contribute is $1,542 per year.

And this is ok with you? That big business and the political structure are so intertwined for it to be just another day at the park?
Business in politics is a huge problem, the world over, and it continues to be one, just because its the norm doesn't mean its ok.

furthermore, i didnt insinuate they WOULD, i said it would be easy for that to happen and have no one be the wiser; i certainly hope it doesn't pan out that way. Nor did i say to the liberal party, but to Blair specifically. And imagine how inflated that seriously undershot number would be if they got their way? Are you privy to their financial records? how could you know such a figure?

Part of the "payoff" is his riding gets an economical boost, likely in turn for political favor, that's not wrong or unfair...it's a win win.

i disagree. Thats highly unfair and clearly wrong. If the person in charge of a large decision makes a decision in favour of a corporation that ends up with them getting a payoff, thats manipulation of legal proceedings for corporate gain resulting in cash to the one who made the call. Thats a pay off.

Those individuals where not smart/clever/hard working/risk taking enough to drum up investors early in the game to be in a position that Tweed is in today. Simple as that. Should I be upset that I cannot easily compete with Coca-Cola or Pepsi? nonsense.

this is a joke right. Are you seriously comparing coca-cola, to a new corporation trying to break into a not-yet-legal market? remember how coca-cola used to contain coca leaves? to make people addicted? yeah. not really a shining example to compare these corporate weed giants to if you're rooting for them.. Coke and pepsi have had generations to build their businesses and have faced competition, these corporations are lobbying so that they have ZERO competition, aka, a monopoly.

Those individuals were smart enough to set up over 100 dispensaries in vancouver and flood the city with quality product to such a degree that law enforcement doesn't bother doing anything, they've spread awareness and education about cannabis and its products and i know first hand that they check ID, medical cards and don't sell to minors. How is that not clever, hard working, or risk taking?? They have 30% of the medical market, i think thats a fair amount of investment don't you?

These companies aren't coca-cola or pepsi, these companies are just the shady guys on the corner in suits, pushing their product through parliament instead of on the streets.

Smarten up, you know full well that in Canada people do not go to jail for smoking weed, in fact no such law exists.

you're right its not illegal to be stoned, i should have said growing or possessing. oops. :rolleyes3

Nothing stops a cop from charging one for possession regardless of the amount, however given case law such a small amount would be laughed at by the judge, crown and the cops boss.

and i wonder why that is? it might have something to do with all that awareness that people have been exposed to from the "illegal" dispensary movement... you're right that i don't worry about being arrested for smoking a joint in public, but i COULD be and THAT is laughable.

surely the judge and crown were able to connect the dots. but still, didn't "fuck" him over. They let him kept the proceeds of a crime. That is a real world example of how this "war on drugs" in Canada is not at all similar to the one in the US. However that does not stop Canadian pot heads from claiming as much.

Contrast that to the states where there are multiple examples of parents losing their house to the state because the son/daughter was charged for possession.

So we've become more lenient, thats great, and again, i bet its because of the movement thats been happening long before these corporations got involved. Public opinion sways those judicial decisions, just like public opinion should sway the decision Blair has to make. Just like public opinion swayed the results of the election, largely based on the promise of legalization.

not once did i compare the US to Canada, nor would i ever. Their laws are way more obscene than ours, but that doesn't change the fact that ours aren't great either.

But this isn't about the laws around possession, when legalization occurs, that will be a moot point. This is about a small group of corporations pushing their weight around in political circles to get ahead, the same as it works with big oil, big pharma, big food, big tobacco, etc, etc, etc. Too much "business in politics" as you say, too much MONEY in politics, and too many back-room deals with too little transparency.

We don't need "Big Weed", and most people i know and have heard from on this topic agree. While there should be a "sterile" source for medical patients who don't want to go to a dispensary, this type of back room dealing is not a good standard to set for a new market.

i didn't comment on this looking for an argument, i commented with the hope of connecting some dots for people who may not have kept up with the proceedings so far, and with all that i've said, i still have hope for how it will turn out.

At the end of the day, no matter what country you're in, if we don't speak up about this kind of obvious corruption, this "business in politics" wheeling and dealing, then we are allowing it to occur, and are partially to blame for the results. I for one, refuse to be a part of the problem, therefor, i speak up about it.

After all, cannabis awareness is why we are all here at

 

[Weaselcracker]

In my naive view, I just want them to make the plant legal for all people. That's step one. It's wrong to initiate the process based on the opinions of greedy opportunists. The free market can fight it out. There will always be room for business. Relatively few people will grow their own. Right now people are prosecuted in the name of some half-baked myth that cannabis is bad for us. At least that, if taken at face value (ha ha yeah right....) has some moral roots. It sounds like in future we will be prosecuted solely on the grounds that we are producing our own rather than buying it, therefore possibly keeping a few dollars out of some corporation's pockets.
I think someone is missing the point. It's a plant. Plants do not belong to governments or businesses. They belong to all earthlings.

 

[Peter Parker]

In my naive view, I just want them to make the plant legal for all people. That's step one. It's wrong to initiate the process based on the opinions of greedy opportunists. The free market can fight it out. There will always be room for business. Relatively few people will grow their own. Right now people are prosecuted in the name of some half-baked myth that cannabis is bad for us. At least that, if taken at face value (ha ha yeah right....) has some moral roots. It sounds like in future we will be prosecuted solely on the grounds that we are producing our own rather than buying it, therefore possibly keeping a few dollars out of some corporation's pockets.
I think someone is missing the point. It's a plant. Plants do not belong to governments or businesses. They belong to all earthlings.

Imo the opportunity here is (sin) tax dollars, like those for Gambling, Tobacco, Alcohol. In order to have a fair / level playing field such industries need to be tightly regulated / controlled.

The potential for revenue from those industries are a resource for all citizens of Canada, a corporation is merely the means; and yes they're entitled to a profit for their role. As are, again all citizens of Canada.

I fail to see the weight of the argument of "it's just a plant" from any perspective.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Interesting that you misread what I wrote. I didn't say it's 'just a plant'.
The statement 'just a plant' implies that it should be beneath the attention of wannabe controlling forces.
Actually what I said is that 'it's a plant'. And I meant that, as such, it is above and outside such forces.

We are probably on completely different pages here which would be why you 'fail to see the weight of the argument of "it's just a plant" from any perspective'.

I'm talking about a moral issue, as well as, basically, a spiritual one. So this post might seem overly philosophical for your tastes. To me it seems like fundamental reality.

Some, if not most, people on earth seem to look on everything in the universe as being here solely for humanity to consume. Every bit of land is divided up, fought over and bought and sold. Every species on earth is here for us to kill, eat, farm, modify, and control. It's necessarily a competitive system of greed and control. Within this narrow view, this is no room for other species to simply exist unmolested by us. It's not a possibility to think of other species as living beings in their own right. There is absolutely no mechanism that allows for people to simply leave plants and animals alone, to exist. There is only ownership and control.
Unfortunately, greed and disregard of our natural environment has brought us to a catastrophic situation.

In fact it is also very difficult for people locked in to a control sort of mentality to even allow other people their freedom, as, mentally, they don't actually have their own.

The idea of a plant as being a free life form that exists separate from us, which grew on earth before humans came along, and will no doubt be growing here after humans are gone, this idea does not have room to breathe within such a mindset. It's threatening and therefore rejected as completely silly.

Instead there is the attitude of- 'Who owns this plant? If no one owns it- I claim it. If someone else owns it- I fight them for ownership of it. How can money be made off of it? How can we control the plant? How can we control other people's use of it?' Etc, etc.

The idea of people freely growing and partaking of a plant for medicine or pleasure, or freely doing much of anything for that matter, is very threatening, if not incomprehensible, to people who are used to a system of control.

In my case, I have the worldview that nature does not belong to humans. Therefore I do not believe that anyone has the right to tell me what to do with a cannabis plant, (or with many other things). It is incomprehensible to me that someone would think they have the right to claim control over a plant, or over me. The idea is totally laughable and only made more so when this attempt at control is based on outright selfish greed. I have absolutely zero respect for this ideology and any sort of 'legalization' based on it. I will continue to completely disregard any such 'laws', laugh at them, and fight against them at every possible chance.

 

[Kingsnake235]

It is incomprehensible to me that someone would think they have the right to claim control over a plant, or over me. The idea is totally laughable and only made more so when this attempt at control is based on outright selfish greed. I have absolutely zero respect for this ideology and any sort of 'legalization' based on it. I will continue to completely disregard any such 'laws', laugh at them, and fight against them at every possible chance.

 

[Peter Parker]

I'm talking about a moral issue, as well as, basically, a spiritual one. So this post might seem overly philosophical for your tastes. To me it seems like fundamental reality.

Easy with the moral, spiritual, philosophical & reality talk Weaselcracker; it's just a plant.

 

[Radogast]

Easy with the moral, spiritual, philosophical & reality talk Weaselcracker; it's just a plant.

Easy yourself Peter Parker

IMOThat was disrespectful of you toward weaselcracker.

You are new enough here that I think you fail to recognize a community of people who thrive on compassion, fairness and reasonable behaviour.

You may not mean it, but you come close to sounding like a troll. It's not a behaviour that works here.

 

[Weaselcracker]

That's alright, I was expecting worse insults back maybe after that post. Thanks for sticking up for me though!
It's quite a moralistic view I have, I suppose, but I make no apologies. Personally I'm just very tired of short sighted greedy businessmen at the moment. My homeland is quickly turning into an environmental disaster as a result of such clueless A$$hole$. So I don't feel super reasonable about the issue of...greed.
The current Canadian government has promised to legalize cannabis. Legalizing it, and managing the economic aspects of it, don't have to be one and the same, IMO. So I hope we can skip happily past the clamouring hordes of opportunists, who want things like 'tightly restricted level playing fields' and start legalizing it already.

Edit. - I feel like I should say that I'm not directing the attitude in these couple posts against you personally, P Parker, despite having used your 'level playing field' quote. Only as a response to what you said, and against a certain form of corporate ignorance. I have no assumptions about you whatsoever, and would never attack you personally if I did.

 

[hydro1000]

In a statement, Liberal MP Bill Blair said the government will not be rushed as it moves to “legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to marijuana in a careful and orderly way.”

It's a money grab the way I see it! They don't need to legalize it, that's just another way for for our government to guarantee they keep their fingers in the cookie jar, it's all about the money for them in power!!! It needs to be decriminalized to where it's just a herb like any other green leaf plant!!! If I don't want my kids to use it then I don't let them! What's wrong with people these days? It's been illegal and they can't control it, what makes them think they can control it when it's legal. I got it 32 years ago at age 12 and now its starting to be everyone I meet is using it in some form.

 

[Takelababy]

There is always mention of dispensaries selling to kids. Where's the evidence? There is none, it's always based on hearsay or fear mongering.

 

[Radogast]

There is always mention of dispensaries selling to kids. Where's the evidence? There is none, it's always based on hearsay or fear mongering.

The issue is kids SEEING MMJ dispensaries and and accepting them as normal. It is like kids SEEING gay people and accepting them as normal. If that happens, once the kids grow up, the cultural war is lost.

In my opinion, the flaw in that strategy is, the kids who accept MMJ as normal are the parents and grandparents of the kids they are 'protecting.' The cultural war is already decided. The current battles are to determine who gets to own the factories and stores at the end of the war.

 

[Takelababy]

In our small town, a few kids were able to get beer. Certainly not from gov't controlled liquor stores so who gets it for them...adults who think it's fun to give it to them. Same with pot. The owners of the dispensaries don't want trouble with the police and I'd bet money you couldn't find one that would sell to under age. Street dealers won't even sell to underage as the charges are too serious.

 

[hydro1000]

I trying not to get off topic but this shows their dedication to control the markets. I Came across this article, and again it's is corporate greed! They will do anything in their power to control the market even if it means killing people to keep the monopoly going! It's proven that marijuana helps people of all ages, people are moving across counties or to countries where they can get marijuana for themselves and the children legally!!! It's a 1.3 trillion dollar world business, I can only imagine that they will not take these losses lightly.
Complete marijuana legalization would sure be a game changer in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmaceutical Industry Synthesizing Marijuana To Patent It… And It’s Already Killing People

Why would we turn to Big Pharma to synthesize what Nature already got right?

Millions of people are successfully using medical marijuana to treat an array of disorders and diseases. We do not need huge corporations to fix what is not in fact broken.
By M. David for Counter Current News and
Reagan Ali | Counter Current News | January 22, 2016

Matt Agorist, with The Free Thought Project, notes that “there are over 20,000 articles searchable on PubMed detailing the effects of “cannabinoid”(s). New research has shown that cannabis is an effective treatment for a myriad of ailments ranging from cancer, to epilepsy, to PTSD.”

Now, the pharmaceutical industry seems to realize the inevitability of legal marijuana – across the nation – so they are doing something about it: they are trying to patent it.

Many have speculated whether or not the pharmaceutical industry has something to do with the continued prohibition on marijuana. It’s easy to see where these suspicions are coming from, considering the fact that marijuana has been proven as an effective treatment for so many maladies that “Big Pharma” treats with synthetic medicines.

Since it is impossible to patent the plant itself, Big Pharma is turning to its scientists to synthesize and patent the active chemicals in marijuana – so they can monopolize the market for these chemicals.
The drug Marinol, produced by Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc. “contains a nearly identical molecular structure as the THC molecule and has similar effects of marijuana on cancer patients in regards to increasing appetite, etc.,” Agorist writes. “But unlike its natural counterpart, Marinol does not grow on trees.”

The results of this synthesizing has been numerous deaths, according to Ouest France. They report that in a test by the corporation Biotrial, conducted for the Portuguese pharmaceutical company Bial, there have been six people hospitalized in Rennes.

Recently, one of those victims of these unnecessary tests has died. The tests are unnecessary, because Nature has already given us the cannabis plant itself to properly deliver these active chemicals. We do not need the pharmaceutical industry to isolate and encapsulate them for us.

Marisol Touraine, France’s Minister of Health made it clear that no natural marijuana was used in these studies at all. Only the synthetic ECS stimulant was used.
Agorist notes that “Taken orally, the drug was undergoing a Phase 1 clinical trial at a licensed private European laboratory that specializes in clinical trials, the French health ministry said… Attempting to recreate the natural analgesic effects of cannabis, this pharmaceutical company unwittingly killed someone and gravely injured several others.”

 

[Takelababy]

There are thousands of seniors heading to the legal states on 420 holidays. These tourists boost the economy of those states, not just thro acquiring cannabis but also the hotel and restaurant industries. If a vacation means pain free, even for just a weekend, then why not go where it can happen. That's a lot of money that could be staying in Canada.

 

[hydro1000]

They can all fight it out, while I'm in my garden :m