Renee Boje Finally Free in Canada, by Chris Bennett

Years of worrying finally come to an end with plea bargain Reefer refugee Renee Boje is finally free. In 1998, Boje faced a 10 year mandatory minimum to life sentence in a US Federal Prison for her minor involvement in a well known medical marijuana and research garden owned by cancer patient and marijuana activist Todd McCormick and best selling author and Aids patient Peter McWilliams.

In 1998, fearing persecution over medical marijuana charges, Boje fled from the US to Canada on the advice of her lawyer. In 2001 Boje Married Canadian marijuana activist and author Chris Bennett and in 2002 she gave birth to their Canadian son, Shiva Sun Bennett. Many had hoped that Boje's marriage to a Canadian and the birth of her Canadian son would be enough for her to be allowed to stay in Canada and avoid the ten year sentencing she was facing in the US. But sadly through the decision of the same Justice Minister who allowed US authorities to raid Emery Seeds, this was not to be the case.

Boje iost her fight against US extradition when the Liberal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler decided against her in 2005. Boie and her family were devastated by the decision because they were told by her lawyers that the Minister's appeal was her best chance for winning her freedom in Canada and that there was a 99% chance she would lose her appeal in the higher courts with the current Conservative government in power. Boje appealed Cotler’s decision and in that intervening period she received an offer from the US for a plea bargain and negotiations then were initiated between Boje's Canadian lawyer John Conroy and Federal US Prosecutors in LA.

On August 10th Boje travelled to Los Angeles for an August 14th  court date in which she pled guilty to possession of half of a gram of marijuana. Judge George H. King, who was the judge throughout the McCormick and McWilliams hearings, sentenced Boje to one year's probation, giving her permission to reside in Canada with her family.

Boje returned to Canada on August 15th and Canadian officials almost denied her entry into Canada, but relented and let her stay for one week while a decision about her status was in the works at Immigration Canada. In the end after a week of worrying she might be deported Canadian Immigration officials granted Boje a 6 month visitors permit, which will likely give her time to secure Canadian citizenship so she can remain in Canada permanently with her family. For further information refer to: www.reneeboje.com

WHERE IS ALL THE COMPASSION?

Letter to B.C.C.C.S.

Friday June 29, 2006
Rielle Capler and the B.C.C.C.S.
In an attempt to introduce and explain ourselves, we are sending you this letter and package of information about the CBC of C. We hope that this may help facilitate communication and cooperation between our club and the BCCS.

First, we would like to thank you and congratulate your group for the leadership that the BCCCS has provided over the years. Watching you bring the issue to national attention with your determined professionalism has been greatly appreciated by everyone working in the medical cannabis field.

Our story in Victoria is filled with much more struggle. When we started the CBC of C in Jan. 1996, I was living in a van. As you can imagine, it took many years to accumulate enough resources and members to open a store. To help give you an understanding of our efforts, we have included all 9 issues of our newsletter, Cannabis Digest, a copy of our most important court decision and some other information.

Included in this package are letters of correspondence between our club and VICS from a few years ago. From these letters you can see that we have had difficulty being accepted by the “compassion club” community since our beginning. This was in part due to our strong mandate that requires proof of doctor’s diagnosis of a permanent, physical disability or disease but does not require a recommendation to use cannabis from a doctor unless it is for a mental health issue. The other main reason Phil Lucas seems to have a problem with us is because of our proactive efforts to legalize cannabis through our International Hempology 101 Society. This problem exists despite the fact that he has attended many of our rallies when it suited his purposes, and continues to support other groups that advocate for the legal distribution of all drugs.

Last summer I tried to pay an unannounced visit upon Rielle Capler. The staff at the front desk had never heard of our club and expressed concern that I wanted into the club. I tried to explain that I had started the oldest medical cannabis club in Canada in Victoria but was not known of, in part, because VICS claimed to be the only “compassion” club in town. Unfortunately, I lost my cool at one point in the conversation, and I should have apologized in writing for my behaviour before now. I am very sorry to have created a disturbance in your sanctuary and am truly embarrassed about the lack of professionalism and tact I showed that day. I promise I will never behave that way in your space again.

Recently someone else from our group became upset after being treated rudely by your staff and refused medicine. Apparently there is some confusion about your policy to sign a release form so that we can send you medical information. He was aware that I had made a phone call to Rielle to confirm that he was a member in good standing and I thought there was an understanding that he could be served without any roadblocks. At some point in the conversation when our member was trying to get medicine, it was implied that our club did not demand to see medical information before signing someone up. Given that he works the front desk at our club, our member was very insulted and disturbed that such dangerous, vicious rumours are being spread by the compassion club community. Unfortunately part of his response was to write a letter in anger, a letter in which he makes some accusations and incorrect statements, and after cooling off, he regrets the angry and unproductive tone with which he responded.

It is very regrettable that incidents such as these occur when we should be working together. However, it is difficult not getting upset after having been excluded from the ‘compassion club’ community for so long when the courts and City of Victoria consider our mandate and functions to be constitutionally sound and morally responsible. After all, is a ‘compassion club’ an organization that sells cannabis products to sick people, or does it need to be incorporated with the name ’compassion’ included?

We believe it is important for our organizations to learn how to work together to provide better services to our members and the country at large. For that to happen, there are a few things we would like to see. First, if someone from your group wanted to visit our store we would be happy to show them the inner workings of the CBC of C as much as possible. Second, it is important to us that we become acknowledged as a legitimate club by the BCCCS when articles are written like the recent article in Cannabis Culture. Finally, we are the oldest public medical cannabis club in Canada, and while the BCCCS will likely always be the largest compassion club in the country, the CBC of C deserves credit for being the first group to form. While we realize that it will not be easy to give up the title of the oldest club in Canada, the fact is we began operating in Jan 1996, over 1 year before the BCCCS formed. Accepting the truth and the CBC of C will make the movement stronger and will not take away any of the hard work and professionalism that has made the BCCCS what it is today.

Many of the issues I have raised have bubbled under the surface for years. The recent incidents where I and others have lost their temper should be turned into opportunities to learn more about each other and build a better movement.

If there is something we can do to improve or clarify the situation, please do not hesitate to call me at 381-4220. We look forward to our future relations.
by Ted Smith

 

Series of letters between CBC of C and V.I.C.S.

First letter from CBC of C

December 2002

Hello, VICS Board and Staff
We have attempted to develop a working relationship with your organization since meeting Mr. Phillipe Lucas in the spring of 1999. Instead of returning our efforts to cooperate, we have been excluded and discredited by Mr. Lucas. It is our hope that through a process initiated by this letter we can encourage Mr. Lucas to acknowledge our existence and stop attacking our integrity.

There were no clubs in Canada and very few in the world when we started the Cannabis Buyers’ Clubs of Canada in 1995. Initially, we chose not to form a non-profit society for the club because we wanted to wait until it could be fully and legally licensed. As an interim measure we incorporated Victoria’s Hempology 101 Society as an umbrella group.

While the club operates as a coalition of individuals committed to providing help to people with permanent, physical medical problems diagnosed by a physician, the non-profit society educates the general public. Throughout the past 7 years we have made several presentations to city council, written letters to the Chief of Police in 1997 and the Attorney General in 1998 and have been featured in local media. The club’s mandate has been recognized by the courts, Health Canada, and, recently, the City of Victoria. In the near future we hope to be able to work with all levels of government as we establish a fully licensed and regulated medical buyers’ club.

When Mr. Lucas first came to our organization we seriously considered giving the club and all of it’s resources to him. After he demanded that the Cannabis Buyers’ Club’s name be changed, payed for a storefront in Oak Bay and seriously altered the club’s mandate, we decided it was best for Mr. Lucas to start his own group while we continued on with the Cannabis Buyers’ Clubs of Canada. We require a doctor’s diagnosis, with photo ID, as opposed to a doctor’s recommendation like VICS demands. Many people with permanent, physical medical problems have doctors who will not sign a recommendation for cannabis due to threats from the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons. While we knew it would be difficult to justify having two clubs in Victoria, we refused to turn our back on sick people with reluctant doctors.  We have stuck to our mandate for 7 years, and look forward to the near future when these activities become fully legalized.

We continually tried to maintain a good relationship in the early days of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society, inviting Phil and Colleen to many meetings where they were able to meet Ron Ranger and Eric Young, among other members, who signed up as founding board members of the VICS. After a few months it was apparent that the new organization viewed us as competition, not allies, in the war on drugs.

Last spring, while testifying in his defense, Mr. Lucas stated clearly that in his opinion there was no one but criminals selling bad drugs for profit in Victoria before he appeared in 1999. We did not expose this lie at the time so as to not risk creating difficulties for Mr. Lucas in court.

The fact is that the Cannabis Buyers Clubs of Canada have been struggling towards providing adequate services in the most open and transparent way possible. Mr. Lucas would have been fair to suggest that the services provided by the Cannabis Buyers’ Clubs of Canada in 1999 were less than ideal. However, for him to imply that we are no more than common criminals is wrong. The Cannabis Buyers Clubs of Canada strives to provide the best quality medicine at the lowest possible cost, and every one of the approximately 1,100 members has a serious incurable medical condition with proof of diagnosis from their physician.

Though Mr. Lucas and the VICS received a very favorable court decision last spring, the precedent was set by Grant Krieger in Calgary, who in the summer of 2000 received a not guilty verdict from a jury. We expect a similar decision in February of 2003 when we go to court to answer charges that were made
as a result of the police raid at the Victoria branch of the Cannabis Buyers’ Clubs on June 21.

Through the proclamation of November 15, we have proven to Victoria City Council that Health Canada has not approved any source of cannabis for medical purposes, while at the same time recognising that people with permanent, physical medical problems should have access to cannabis. While medical cannabis is considered legitimate by the courts and the community at large, Health Canada has refused to cooperate with anyone but the pharmaceutical industry. However, in reaction to the continued police raids we have started a process which should produce a licensing arrangement between our club, Health Canada, VIHA, the police department and City Hall.

Unfortunately, it became even more clear to the public that the local medical cannabis movement was not working together when Mr. Lucas ran for city council under the banner of the Green Party and supported Ben Isitt for mayor during the recent municipal campaign. It is our intention to resolve the outstanding problems that Mr. Lucas appears to have with the Cannabis Buyers’ Clubs of Canada in the most professional and reasonable way possible. If we could agree upon a third-party mediator who could help the two sides work out their differences, that might be the best step towards a peaceful resolution. We understand that both clubs have been invited to a benefit concert on December 21 and would invite Mr. Lucas to make a public apology at that event as part of his attempt to resolve our problems.

While we regret to create any more negativity between the clubs, after over three years of lies, slander, exclusion and otherwise being taken advantage of, we will no longer silently withstand the harsh criticisms of Mr. Lucas. It is our hope that Mr. Lucas and the VICS realise that they have caused great harm and confusion in the community as a result of their past actions and are willing to start to work in good faith with the Cannabis Buyers’ Clubs of Canada.

We look forward to your suggestions of a third-party mediator and to the apology on December 21st. Please do not hesitate to give us a call.

Sincerely,

Marie Christofferson , Christian Bell



Letter from Phillipe Lucas and CBC staff
By Phillipe Lucas, Vancouver Island Compassion Society

December 2nd, 2002

Ted and CBC staff,

Today was a very uncomfortable and unpleasant situation for everyone. I came to your club alone and open
to discussion and reconciliation, but feel that I was met with accusations rather than any sincere interest
in addressing your stated concerns. I don’t enjoy conflict, nor do I tolerate negativity at the VICS. There
may be some real enemies of the CBC out there (the police, for example), but I can assure you that our concerns
on how best to run our organization, not how to undermine your club.

We are currently involved in research with the University of California, San Francisco, McGill University,
and the BCCCS. We have neither the time nor the inclination to speak about your organization. When asked, we
point out our obvious differences (Dr.’s notes, non-profit status) and leave it at that. We stand by our
model, and we have had some judicial success with it; you can certainly do the same. The fact remains that
some people prefer one organization over another: for example, some appreciate the lower prices of some of
your products, others have grown accustom to some of our recurring strains. This is McDonald’s and Burger
King - a choice - and hardly the conflict-based relationship you imagine it to be.

This evening was probably the most that the VICS staff have ever talked about the CBC (except for after
busts, which concern all of us). Our interest is for both clubs to flourish, but we will continue to work
as hard as possible to be the best club in town - I absolutely encourage you to do the same. Our recent
success (in court and otherwise) should be celebrated by all, not resented. Our victories take nothing from
you; in fact I’m sure that Bob will mention our case more than once during your own trial. I can assure you
that we all hope that you will have as much success in the courts as well; the movement depends on forward
momentum - every loss is a setback.

When I offered to pull out of the benefit because of the recent conflict between the clubs, Scott made it
clear that he wouldn’t hold the event at Soundgarden without the participation of the VICS. With the interest
of BOTH clubs in mind, I agreed to proceed with the benefit. I know that I can enjoy this night of shared
energy and enthousiasm without conflict; are you able to make the same guarantees? On December 20th, we have
a chance to hold this benefit as a symbolic act of reconciliation between the clubs; I hope that we can
make it a merry CannaChristmas for us all.

Although I am still against the idea of a third party mediator, both myself and the VICS staff would be
happy to meet with you and your staff at your convienence if you feel it neccessary to do so. Call my at
884-9821 anytime. Otherwise, please go through your days with the knowledge that we are in no way acting to
undermine the CBC, now or ever; we have much more important things with which to worry ourselves.

Sincerely,

Phillipe Lucas

Fri Dec 13, 2002
To Vancouver Island Compassion Society

While we are aware that bringing attention to the problems between the two clubs creates further difficulties, we feel strongly that ignoring the situation allows more conflicts to develop. In the long run we are all better off resolving our problems now, before we begin to appear in public at the Dec 20 benefit and through the new year. Given the issues that seem to exist between Ted Smith, founder of the CBC of C, and Phillippe Lucas, founder of VICS, we feel that it is necessary to work with a third-party to mediate between the groups. If you continue to refuse any process to address these problems, we hope that we can at least agree to disagree over several differences between the clubs.

The letter that Mr. Lucas wrote to our club on Dec 2 after his visit identifies many of the problems;

   1. VICS would prefer to ignore the existence of the CBC of C, despite the fact that we contributed to the creation of VICS and have supported VICS in many ways without receiving any help back.

   2. VICS considers the CBC of C to be competition, i.e. McDonalds vs Burger King.

   3. While Mr. Lucas and VICS acknowledge that people with permanent physical medical problems have a legitimate need for cannabis, you do not recognize the CBC of C as a legitimate club because we require a doctors diagnosis of an incurable medical problem, not a full recommendation.

   4. The CBC of C works under the umbrella non-profit group, the International Hempology 101 Society, and is waiting to legally incorporate with all levels of government working with us to properly regulate and monitor financial transactions, health standards and other operational procedures.

Though these issues are not directly threatening to the operations or the long-term success of the CBC of C, by claiming to be the only legitimate source of medicinal cannabis in Victoria, Mr. Lucas and VICS are continually undermining the integrity of the legalization movement. The courts and City of Victoria have acknowledged our mandate as legitimate, why cant Mr. Lucas?

The majority of the almost 1,200 members of the CBC of C could not qualify for VICS because their doctors are reluctant to sign recommendations for the use of cannabis. Mr. Lucas is very wrong when he states that there is a choice for these people who have permanent medical problems. If the CBC of C closed down, 100s of sick people would be forced to go to the streets for medicine. If VICS closes, its 250 members would immediately qualify for the CBC of C without paying a $15 entry fee. By discrediting the CBC of C for maintaining such a strong mandate, Mr. Lucas and VICS are creating confusion and resentment between members, supporters and advocates.

We have the opportunity to push for effective changes to cannabis laws now more than ever. If we keep putting each other down over relatively minor differences, we will continue to lose many more opportunities to improve our clubs, educate the public and advocate the government.

It would be best if we were able to work upon some of these issues before the benefit. Without a third-party mediator, it may be better to continue the dialogue in writing so there is a record of how we are addressing the problems you are creating and how we are trying to resolve them.

We look forward to your response early next week.

Yours,

Marie Christofferson, President

Ryan Schakohl, Board Member

By Phillipe Lucas - Founder, The Vancouver Island Compassion Society

December 20th, 2002

CBC. Of C.,

This is the last such missive that you will receive from the VICS regarding the relationship between the VICS and the CBC of C.

As suggested in your last letter, we believe it is best that the two clubs “agree to disagree” over our
differences; but I do wish to address the latest accusation made against us.

Firstly, it is impossible to ignore your organization (as you repeatedly accuse us of doing); we share
too many mutual members, and frankly, Ted gets more local publicty than all of the VICS staff combined.
As you have stated many times, you are the bigger club, and the VICS feels no need or obligation to
promote your organization, mandate or agenda, nor have we ever expected the CBC to do our P.R.. We have
helped each other when expedient for both organizations: you have shown up at our rallies, and we have
shown up at yours. After your last bust, we called Ted and offered the club free cannabis while you
re-stocked; Ted informed us that he had secured a back-up supple. Already, this is above and beyond
anything ever offered to the VICS by your own organization. The VICS has developed close relationships
within the medical marijuana movement; we chose to work with co-operative, like-minded organizations (we
are currently involved in a research survey protocol with the BCCCS, AVI and the University of San
Francisco, California for example). We have even been able to help Jed in his attempt to improve the
operation of the Coombs Buyers’ club. We find the CBC of C very difficult to work with, and are often
unsure of your motivation (how exactly is getting busted giving away cookies to passers-by outside
the library helping the public perception of medical cannabis?). Frankly, other than the occasional
benefit or rally, we would rather find our partnerships elsewhere. This is our right, and should be
of no more concern to you than your own self-interested behaviour.

Secondly, the VICS doesn’t consider the CBC of C to be competition. Sadly, there are more than enough
sick people in Victoria to support a half-dozen medicinal marijuana organizations. The “McDonalds
Vs. Burger King” quote was taken out of context, as I clearly stated that this was a simple issue of
choice for the consumer, not of direct competition. Our mandate is currently focused on adding to the
body of clinical cannabis research, as well as influencing national policy. We have been able to
accomplish the latter by getting an audience with the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs (and
being quoted extensively in their impressive report), and advising the Medical Marijuana Advisory
Committee (I will be presenting in front of the committee with Hilary Black in Ottawa in May). We
have shared all of our extensive knowledge and experience with the public and with other clubs
through publication such as Cannabis Health, Cannabis Culture (I have a research article in the upcoming
issue), and through presentations (on invitation, I attended and presented at this year’s Seattle
Hempfest, and will be a scholarship speaker at next September’s American Institute of Pain
Conference in Denver, Colorado). We are currently involved in research with both McGill University
and the University of California, San Francisco (to be published in the Journal of Cannabis Health).
By this time next year, we hope to be conducting more clinical cannabis research than any other
organization in North America (including NIDA and Health Canada). As you can deduct, we are far too
busy forging ahead with our own mandate to worry about petty concerns such as possible competition with
other clubs.

Thirdly, the VICS and myself recognize the CBC as a legitimate club, simply not a “compassion society”.
As you know, that requires incorporation as a registered non-profit, and although you claim to be under
the “umbrella” of Hemp 101, this is simply not the same thing, legally or otherwise. There are clear
requirements that non-profits must meet, such as financial transparency, the legal registration of a
Board of Directors, and accountability to membership through Annual General Meetings. We consider
these things to be incredibly important if we are to stand up to public and legal scrutiny. Furthermore,
we feel that simply requiring a diagnosis of condition leaves too m uch room for abuses in an already
contentious treatment. We have worked hard to get the government to recognize cannabis as being a medicine,
the next step is to educate the doctors in its many uses. The VICS believes that all with a legitimate
need for medicinal cannabis should have access to it, but the current legal climate combined with the
fact that none of us are medical practitioners makes the doctor’s recommendation neccessary for our own
legal protection. The VICS has received recommendations from almost 90 doctors in the CRD; many now
stock our forms at their offices. Our program is clearly working. The fact is, we have never failed to
help a single critical or terminal patient; but we do so through education and cooperation with the
medicinal community - sadly, we feel that they are the key to mass acceptance of cannabis as a
legitimate medicine. Feel free to disagree, and to follow your own course in this, but our strict
registration policy clearly made a difference in our recent successful court decision.

Fourthly, Health Canada has no intention of ever licensing any buyer’s club or compassion society,
including the VICS and the CBC of C. How do I know this? I talk with them ALL THE TIME. You have
repeatedly stated that you are in discussion with the government regarding licensing or legitimizing
you organization; this may help buy you time with the city, but it doesn’t in any way hold water with
us. This claim is simply not based on fact.

You have stated that the courts and city have “acknowledged your mandate as legitimate”. This is also
an overstatement; the courts have banned Ted from even being inside the club that he founded (the fact
that Ted’s challenge is to follow the Caine, Malmo-Levine, and Clay trial gives you no claim to
legitimacy - especially in the case of medicinal cannabis - Ted’s case simply raises similar
constitutional questions regarding the legitimacy of the laws governing personal possession). The
city has never acknowledged the CBC’s mandate; they have wisely voted for motions in support of
medicinal cannabis and in recognition of a rather exaggerated “International Medical Marijuana Day”.
In view of continued busts and harassment at the CBC, I’m amazed that you would even bother to make
such claims, or frankly waste so much time petitioning the city government for what is clearly a national
law and policy.

The VICS at no time claimed to be the only legitimate source for cannabis in Victoria (must I remind
you that we are no more legal or legitimate than the CBC?), we merely stated that we were the only
legitimate compassion society in town (you are, after all, a Buyer’s Club, and not a “compassion
society”, or am I missing something?) and the safest source for cannabis on the island. Legitimacy
or recognition are simply not priorities for the VICS; safe and strong medicine in an atmosphere
conducive to healing are. That is why 70% of our cannabis is organic. The unequalled quality of our
product and service is also how we have survived and flourished for so long; otherwise your cheaper
prices and more lenient registration policies would surely have bankrupted us long ago.

You state that we have created “confusion and resentment” in the community by discrediting the CBC. Let
me suggest that the CBC should look to its own membership if it chooses to lay blame for its current
situation. After all, it is the behaviour of CBC members that have led to your recent legal problems. On
the other hand, the VICS has shown itself more than willing to dismiss infighting and offer help by
offering cannabis and by turning up at rallies after your busts. We hear the complaints of shared members
regarding the quality of service and product at the CBC on a nearly daily basis (as I’m sure you do
about us - probably by some of the very same members!); it is not our habit to repeat these complaints
or even to take them seriously - and we certainly don’t encourage them. However, we cannot and will not
control the opinion or actions of our members, the press or the public; all that we do is the best we
can - luckily nearly everyone in town seems to appreciate us and the hard work that we do. There will
always be malcontents; we accept that. The perception of the press or public of the CBC is in no way
our responsibility or concern: that’s your backyard, you deal with it. Once again, championing our
mandate is not the same as discrediting your own; it is fear and insecurity that makes you see it as
such. Even though we have clearly expressed differences, the VICS has always been willing to send
applicants that we cannot assist to the CBC, and we hope to continue doing so in the future. We would
suggest that it is Ted’s own actions that create confusion in the public perception of medicinal cannabis
distribution. Every time Ted gets charged with passing a joint to a non-medical user, all of our
credibility and hard work is negatively affected. The trust of the public is hard to gain, and shouldn’t
be so casually abused.

As I have stated, this is the last such message that the VICS will receive or respond to: it is not our
mandate to discredit the CBC, not have we ever gone out of our way to do so. It is clear by your own
statements that you are more interested in laying blame than solving any of the CBC’s issues with
our organization (”… we are addressing the problems you are creating…”); this is counter-productive,
time-consuming, and quite frankly of considerable annoyance to us. Please forward any further accusatory
communication to our lawyer John Conroy [2459 Pauline Street, Abbotsford BC, V2S 3S1] (who will also
receive a copy of this leter and past correspondence); we clearly have better things to do with our time.

Sincerely,
Phillipe Lucas and the VICS staff.

P.S. However, should you ever need any assistance, please feel free to call or come by any time - you
are more than welcome.

 

We are including the old letters written between the CBC of C and VICS to give readers a context for the letter written to the BCCCS.

Nov 2002. Hello, VICS Board and Staff. We have attempted to develop a working relationship with your organization since meeting Mr. Phillipe Lucas in the spring of 1999. Instead of returning our efforts to cooperate, we have been excluded and discredited by Mr. Lucas. It is our hope that through a process initiated by this letter we can encourage Mr. Lucas to acknowledge our existence and stop attacking our integrity.

There were no clubs in Canada and very few in the world when we started the Cannabis Buyers' Clubs of Canada in 1995. Initially, we chose not to form a non-profit society for the club because we wanted to wait until it could be fully and legally licensed. As an interim measure we incorporated Victoria's Hempology 101 Society as an umbrella group.

While the club operates as a coalition of individuals committed to providing help to people with permanent, physical medical problems diagnosed by a physician, the non-profit society educates the general public. Throughout the past 7 years we have made several presentations to city council, written letters to the Chief of Police in 1997 and the Attorney General in 1998 and have been featured in local media. The club's mandate has been recognized by the courts, Health Canada, and, recently, the City of Victoria. In the near future we hope to be able to work with all levels of government as we establish a fully licensed and regulated medical buyers' club.

When Mr. Lucas first came to our organization we seriously considered giving the club and all of it's resources to him. After he demanded that the Cannabis Buyers' Club's name be changed, payed for a storefront in Oak Bay and seriously altered the club's mandate, we decided it was best for Mr. Lucas to start his own group while we continued on with the Cannabis Buyers' Clubs of Canada. We require a doctor's diagnosis, with photo ID, as opposed to a doctor's recommendation like VICS demands. Many people with permanent, physical medical problems have doctors who will not sign a recommendation for cannabis due to threats from the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons. While we knew it would be difficult to justify having two clubs in Victoria, we refused to turn our back on sick people with reluctant doctors. We have stuck to our mandate for 7 years, and look forward to the near future when these activities become fully legalized.

We continually tried to maintain a good relationship in the early days of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society, inviting Phil and Colleen to many meetings where they were able to meet Ron Ranger and Eric Young, among other members, who signed up as founding board members of the VICS. After a few months it was apparent that the new organization viewed us as competition, not allies, in the war on drugs.
Last spring, whiie testifying in his defense. Mr. Lucas stated clearly that in his opinion there was no one but criminals selling bad drugs for profit in Victoria before he appeared in 1999. We did not expose this lie at the time so as to not risk creating difficulties for Mr. Lucas in court. The fact is that the Cannabis Buyers Clubs of Canada have been struggling towards providing adequate services ir. the most open and transparent way possible. Mr. Lucas would nave been fair to suggest that the services provided by the Cannabis Buyers" Clubs of Canada in 1999 were less than ideal. However, for him to imply that we are no more than common criminals is wrong.

The Cannabis Buyers Clubs of Canada strives to provide the best quality medicine at the lowest possible cost, and every one of the approximately 1.100 members has a serious incurable medical condition with proof of diagnosis from their physician. Though Mr. Lucas and the VICS received a very favorable court decision last spring, the precedent was set by Grant Krieger in Calgary, who in the summer of 2000 received a not guilty verdict from a jury. We expect a similar
decision in February of 2003 when we go to court to answer charges that were made as a result of the police raid at the Victoria branch of the Cannabis Buyers' Clubs on June 21.

Through the proclamation of November 15, we have proven to Victoria City Council that Health Canada has not approved any source of cannabis for medical purposes, while at the same time recognising that people with permanent, physical medical problems should have access to cannabis. While medical cannabis is considered legitimate by the courts and the community at large, Health Canada has refused to cooperate with anyone but the pharmaceutical industry. However, in reaction to the continued police raids we have started a process which should produce a licensing arrangement between our club. Health Canada, V1HA, the police department and City Hall.

Unfortunately, it became even more clear to the public that the local medical cannabis movement was not working together when Mr. Lucas ran for city council under the banner of the Green Party and supported Ben lsitt for mayor during the recent municipal campaign. It is our intention to resolve the outstanding problems that Mr. Lucas appears to have with the Cannabis Buyers' Clubs of Canada in the most professional and reasonable way possible. If we could agree upon a third-party mediator who could help the two sides work out their differences, that might be the best step towards a peaceful resolution. We understand that both clubs have been invited to a benefit concert on December 21 and would invite Mr. Lucas to make a public apology at that event as part of his attempt
to resolve our problems.

While we regret to create any more negativity between the clubs, after over three years of lies, slander, exclusion and otherwise being taken advantage of, we will no longer silently withstand the harsh criticisms of Mr. Lucas. It is our hope that Mr. Lucas and the VICS realise that they have caused great harm and confusion in the community as a result of their past actions and are willing to start to work in good faith with the Cannabis Buyers' Clubs of Canada.

We look forward to your suggestions of a third-party mediator and to the apology on December 21 st.

Please do not hesitate to give us a call.

This next letter was written after a brief meeting that occurred after VICS received the first correspondence.
By Phillipe Lucas, Vancouver Island Compassion Society December 2nd, 2002 Ted and CBC staff,

Today was a very uncomfortable and unpleasant situation for everyone. I came to your club alone and open to discussion and reconciliation, but feel that 1 was met with accusations rather than any sincere interest in addressing your stated concerns. 1 don't enjoy conflict, nor do I tolerate negativity at the VICS. The_e may be some real enemies of the CBC out there 'trie pcice. re e\ampie\ but 1 can assure you that our concerns on how best to run our organization, not how to undermine your club. We are currently involved in research with the University of California. San Francisco. McGill University, and the BCCCS. We have neither the time nor the inclination to speak about your organization. When asked, we point out our obvious differences ('Dr.'s notes, non-profit status) and leave it at that. We stand by our model, and we have had some judicial success with it; you can certainly do the same. The fact remains that some people prefer one organization over another: for example some appreciate the lower prices of some of your products, others have grown accustom to some of our recurring strains. This is McDonald's and Burger King - a choice - and hardly the conflict- based relationship you imagine it to be.

This evening was probably the most that the VICS staff have ever talked about the CBC (except for after busts, which concern all of us). Our interest is for both clubs to flourish, but we will continue to work as hard as possible to be the best club in town -1 absolutely encourage you to do the same. Our recent success (in court and otherwise) should be celebrated by all, not resented. Our victories take nothing from you; in fact I'm sure that Bob will mention our case more than once during your own trial. I can assure you that we all hope that you will have as much success in the courts as well; the movement depends on forward momentum - every loss is a setback.

When I offered to pull out of the benefit because of the recent conflict between the clubs, Scott made it clear that he wouldn't hold the event at Soundgarden without the participation of the VICS. With the interest of BOTH clubs in mind, I agreed to proceed with the benefit. I know that 1 can enjoy this night of shared energy and enthousiasm without conflict; are you able to make the same guarantees? On December 20th, we have a chance to hold this benefit as a symbolic act of reconciliation between the clubs; I hope that we can make it a merry CannaChristmas for us all. Although I am still against the idea of a third party mediator, both myself and the VICS staff would be happy to meet with you and your staff at your convienence if you feel it neccessary to do so. Call my at 884-9821 anytime. Otherwise, please go through your days with the knowledge that we are in no way acting to undermine the CBC, now or ever; we have much more important things with which to worry ourselves.

Fri, Dec 13, 2002
To Vancouver Island Compassion Society
While we are aware that bringing attention to the problems between the two clubs creates further difficulties, we feel strongly that ignoring the situation allows more conflicts to develop. In the long  run we are all better off resolving our problems now, before we begin to appear in public at the Dec 20 benefit and through the new year. Given the issues that seem to exist between Ted Smith, founder of the CBC of C, and Phillippe Lucas, founder of VICS, we feel that it is necessary to work with a third-party to mediate between the groups. If you continue to refuse any process to address these problems, we hope that we can at least agree to
disagree over several differences between the clubs. The letter that Mr. Lucas wrote to our club on Dec 2 after his visit identifies many of the problems;
1) VICS would prefer to ignore the existence of the CBC of C.
despite the fact that we contributed to the creation of VICS and
have supported VICS in many ways without receiving any
help back.
2)  VICS considers the CBC of Cto  be competition, i.e. McDonalds
vs Burger King.
3) While Mr. Lucas and VICS acknowledge that people with
permanent physical medics', problems have a legitimate need for
cannabis, you do not recognize the CBC of C as a legitimate ciub
because we require a doctor's diagnosis of an incurable medical
problem, not a full reccomendation.
4) The CBC of C works under the umbrella non-profit, the
International Hempology 101 Society, and is waiting to legally
incorporate with all of government working  us to
properly regulate any monitor financial transactions, health
standards and other operational procedures.
Though these issues are not directly related

to the operations or the long-term success of the CBC of C, by claiming to be the only legitimate source of medicinal cannabis in Victoria. Mr. Lucas and VICS are continually undermining the integrity of the legalization movement. The courts and City of Victoria have acknowledged our mandate as legitimate, why cant Mr. Lucas?

The majority of the almost 1,200 members of the CBC of C could not qualify for VICS because their doctors are reluctant to sign recommendations for the use of cannabis. Mr. Lucas is very wrong when he states that there is a choice for these people who have permanent medical problems. If the CBC of C closed down, 100s of sick people would be forced to go to the streets for medicine. If VICS closes, its 250 members would immediately qualify' for the CBC of C without paying a $15 entry fee. By discrediting the CBC of C for maintaining such a strong mandate, Mr. Lucas and VICS are creating confusion and resentment between members, supporters and advocates.

We have the opportunity to push for effective changes to cannabis laws now more than ever. If we keep putting each other down over relatively minor differences, we will continue to lose many more opportunities to improve our clubs, educate the public and advocate the government.
It would be best if we were able to work upon some of these issues before the benefit. Without a third-party mediator, it may be better to continue the dialogue in writing so there is a record of how we are addressing the problems you are creating and how we are trying to resolve them. We look forward to your response early next week.

This is the final letter in this series of correspondence.
By Phillipe Lucas - Founder, The Vancouver Island Compassion Society,
December 20th, 2002 CBC. Of C,

As suggested in your last letter, we believe it is best that the two clubs "agree to disagree" over our differences; but I do wish to address the latest accusation made against us. Firstly, it is impossible to ignore your organization (as you repeatedly accuse us of doing): we share too many mutual members, and frankly. Tec gets more iocal publicity than all of the VICS staff combined.

As you have stated many times, you are the bigger club, and the VICS feels no need or obligation to promote your organization, mandate or agenda, nor have we ever expected the CBC to do our P.R.. We nave helped each other when expedient for both organizations: yc-j ha\e shown up at our rallies, and we have shown up a: yours. After your last bust, we called Ted and offered the club free cannabis while you re-stocked; Ted informed us that he had secured a back-up supple. Already, this is above and bey one anything ever offered to the VICS by your own organization. The VICS has de~ el; bed close relationships within the medical marijuana chose to work with co-operative, like- minded organizations  we are currently involved in a research survey protocol -a if- :ne 3CCCS. AVI and the University of San Francisco. C a lifer--, id- "':" example). We have even been able to help Jed in his attempt:: improve the operation of the Coombs Buyers' club. We find the CBC c: Z - ery difficult to work with, and re often unsure of your —cti-ibih 'how exactly is getting busted giving away cookies t; passers-by outside the library helping the public perception of medica. cannabis?). Frankly, other than the occasional benefit or rally.rather find our partnerships elsewhere. This is our right, anc sho-.d be of no more concern to you than your own self-interested behav iour. Secondlv. the VICS doesn't consider the CBC of C to be competition. Sadk. there are more than enough sick people in Victoria to support a half-dozen medicinal marijuana organizations. The "McDonalds Vs. Burger King'' quote was taken out of context, as I clearly stated that this was a simple issue of choice for the consumer, not of direct competition. Our mandate is currently focused on adding to the body of clinical cannabis research, as well as influencing national policy. We have been able to accomplish the latter by getting an audience with the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs (and being quoted extensively in their impressive report), and advising the Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee (I will be presenting in front of the committee with Hilary Black in Ottawa in May). We have shared all of our extensive knowledge and experience with the public and with other clubs through publication such as Cannabis Health, Cannabis Culture (I have a research article in the upcoming issue), and through presentations (on invitation, I attended and presented at this year's Seattle Hempfest, and will be a scholarship speaker at next September's American Institute of Pain Conference in Denver, Colorado). We are currently involved in research with both McGill University and the University of California, San Francisco (to be published in the Journal of Cannabis Health). By this time next year, we hope to be conducting more clinical cannabis research than any other organization in North America (including NIDA and Health Canada). As you can deduct, we are far too busy forging ahead with our own mandate to worry about petty concerns such as possible competition with other clubs.

Thirdly, the VICS and myself recognize the CBC as a legitimate club, simply not a "compassion society". As you know, that requires incorporation as a registered non-profit, and although you claim to be under the "umbrella" of Hemp 101, this is simply not the same thing, legally or otherwise. There are clear requirements that non-profits must meet, such as financial transparency, the legal registration of a Board of Directors, and accountability to membership through Annual General Meetings. We consider these things to be incredibly important if we are to stand up to public and legal scrutiny. Furthermore, we feel that simply requiring a diagnosis of condition leaves too m uch room for abuses in an already contentious treatment. We have worked hard to get the government to recognize cannabis as being a medicine, the next step is to educate the doctors in its many uses. The VICS believes that all with a legitimate need for medicinal cannabis should have access to it, but the current legal climate combined with the fact that none of us are medical practitioners makes the doctor's recommendation neccessary for our own legal protection. The VICS has received recommendations from almost 90 doctors in the CRD; many now stock our forms at their offices. Our program is clearly working. The fact is, we have never failed to help a single critical or terminal patient; but we do so through education and cooperation with the medicinal community sadly,  we feel that they are the key to mass acceptance of cannabis as a legitimate medicine. Feel free to disagree, and to follow your own course in this, but our strict registration policy clearly made a difference in our recent successful court decision. Fourthly, Health Canada has no intention of ever licensing any buyer's club or compassion society, including the VICS and the CBC of C. How do I know this? I talk with them ALL THE TIME. You ha-, e repeatedly stated that you are in discussion with the government regarding licensing or legitimizing you organization: this may help buy you time with the city, but it doesn't in any way- hold water with us. This claim is simply not based on fact. You have stated that the courts and city have -acknowledged your mandate as legitimate''. This is also an overstatement: the courts have banned Ted from even being inside the club that he founded (the fact that Ted's challenge is to follow the Caine. Maimo-Levine. and Clay trial gi\es you no claim to legitimacy that he founded (the fact that Ted's challenge is to follow the Caine. Malmo-Levine, and Clay trial gives you no claim to legitimacy - especially in the case of medicinal cannabis - Ted's case simply raises similar constitutional questions regarding the legitimacy of the laws governing personal possession). The city has never acknowledged the CBC's mandate; they have wisely voted for motions in support of medicinal cannabis and in recognition of a rather exaggerated "International Medical Marijuana Day". In view of continued busts and harassment at the CBC, I'm amazed that you would even bother to make such claims, or frankly waste so much time petitioning the city government for what is clearly a national law and policy.

The VICS at no time claimed to be the only legitimate source for cannabis in Victoria (must I remind you that we are no more legal or legitimate than the CBC?), we merely stated that we were the only legitimate compassion society in town (you are, after all, a Buyer's Club, and not a "compassion society", or am I missing something?) and the safest source for cannabis on the island. Legitimacy or recognition are simply not priorities for the VICS; safe and strong medicine in an atmosphere conducive to healing are. That is why 70% of our cannabis is organic. The unequalled quality of our product and service is also how we have survived and flourished for so long; otherwise your cheaper prices and more lenient registration policies would surely have bankrupted us long ago.
You state that we have created "confusion and resentment" in the community by discrediting the CBC. Let me suggest that the CBC should look to its own membership if it chooses to lay blame for its current situation. After all, it is the behaviour of CBC members that have led to your recent legal problems. On the other hand, the VICS has shown itself more than willing to dismiss infighting and offer help by offering cannabis and by turning up at rallies after your busts. We hear the complaints of shared members regarding the quality of service and product at the CBC on a nearly daily basis (as I'm sure you do about us - probably by some of the very same members!); it is not our habit to repeat these complaints or even to take them seriously - and we certainly don't encourage them. However, we cannot and will not control the opinion or actions of our members, the press or the public; all that we do is the best we can - luckily nearly everyone in town seems to appreciate us and the hard work that we do. There will always be malcontents; we accept that. The perception of the press or public of the CBC is in no way our responsibility or concern: that's your backyard, you deal with it. Once again, championing our mandate is not the same as discrediting your own: it is fear and insecurity that makes you see it as such. Even though we have clearly expressed differences, the VICS has always been willing to send applicants that we cannot assist to the CBC, and we hope to continue doing so in the future. We would suggest that it is Ted's own actions that create confusion in the public perception of medicinal cannabis distribution. Every time Ted gets charged with passing a joint to a non-medical use:, an of our credibility and hard work is negatively affected. The trust of the public is hard to gain, and shouldn't be so casual;, abused. As i have stated, this is the last such message that the VICS will receive or respond to: it is not our mandate to discredit the CBC, not have we e\er gone out of our way to do so. It is clear by your own statements that you are more interested in laying blame than solving any of the CBC's issues with our organization (""... v-e are addressing the problems you are creating..."): this is counterproductive, time-consuming, and quite frankly of considerable annoyance to us. Please forward any further accusatory communication to our lawyer John Conroy ... (who will also receive a copy of this letter and past correspondence); we clearly
have better things to do with our time.
Sincerely, Phillipe Lucas and the VICS staff.
P.S. However, should you ever need any assistance, please feel free
to call or come by any time - you are more than welcome.

Missive: A letter or letterssent by a superior authourity to a particular person or body of persons, conveying a command, recommendation or permission. "Now chiefly, a letter from the sovereign to a dean and chapter nominating a person to be elected bishop. Oxford Dictionary

 

 

Updates, Warnings and Suggestions by Gayle Quin

The International Hempology 101 Society recently held its Annual General Meeting with a very good turnout and a lot of enthusiasm for the coming year's work. We're very pleased to welcome Liam, Tim and Wanda as new members, and the return of Ted, Gayle, Anthony, Odin, Gord and Steve will make for an exciting year. September sees us back at the University for Wednesday 4:20 meetings and the first Hempology 101 lecture series. September 6 please join us for a march around town to celebrate Hempology 101 's 11th Anniversary of promoting public awareness of the wonderful hemp plant.

On August 16, CBC of C founder Ted Smith was invited to speak about the history of medical cannabis and his efforts to supply cannabis products to sick people at the breakfast meeting of the Victoria Harbourside Rotary Club. It went very well. Congratulations to this year's winners of the 2nd Annual 'Reach For The Pot' tournament. The game featured the Med Heads, with two returning members (Gord + Jon) from the team that lost in the finals last year, against the Sticky Kolas, with captain Dean from the winning team last year. For the 2nd year in a row, the final came down to the last question, but destiny did not permit another come from behind victory like last year. There are five members of the winning team because Ed and Rick each played 1V2 game's. This year's winning team is Gord Campsall (aka John), Steve Trigg, Jon Longpre, Rick Jesson and Ed Chrosciewicz. Thanks to all 32 contestants in this year's tournament and to all of our sponsors. The CBC of C is gearing up for the 4th Annual Art Auction with the first call to all proud Artist that would like to donate a piece for the auction. This is in celebration of International Medical Marijuana Day on Nov. 15. when the auction ends. We always enjoy new works on the walls while they are here, and have been very great full for everyone's contributions and support. Medicinal biscuits for dogs are one of our newest products! 1 have been making cannabis dog biscuits for 15 years. Veterinarians have watched tumours disappear and arthritic's play like puppies, heard chronic cough go away. Cannabis has held lymph cancer in remission for 13 years, stopped infections, and reduced agony for pet and owner both.

We have also just introduced Biscbuddies They are barley, chick pea and oat flour, cannabis infused olive oil, hemp hearts, sea salt and powdered kelp. Then dipped in pure dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate or left plain for special diets.

HEMPOLOGY 101 AT UVIC

Cannabis B.C. (Before Christ)
History of Prohibition
Cannabis Around the World
Hemp Seeds + Other Products
Cannabis Research Cannabis and Your Health
Families and the War On Drugs
Cannabis and the Media
-break-
Medical Uses of Cannabis
Health Canada and the MMAR
History of the Cannabis Buyers Club

Hemp History
Marijuana Tax Act of 1937
Economics of Legalization
Growing Cannabis
Cannabis Chemistry
Medical Cannabis Products
-break-
Cannabis and the Law
Social Impact of Prohibition
Pot in Politics
Medical Cannabis in Canada
History of Hempology 101

ELLIOT BUILDING ROOM #061 Weds @ 3:30- 4:10 pm
Public Welcome Free

4th ANNUAL SILENT ART AUCTION

WILL BE HELD INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA DAY
NOV 15,2006
We need donations of original pieces of an from local artist to raise funds for the legal and political campaigns of the International Hempology 101 Society and the Cannabis Buyers Clubs of Canada. In the past three years we have raised over $3,000 from the silent art auction to help pay for court costs, photocopies, web- page maintenance, etc. We would like to have all the donations by Oct 1. 2006 to display at the CBC of C. All artists should complete a profile so we can help promote their talents with their donated piece of art.

 

CANADA'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM

Up in Smoke?
By Richard Burnett Hour Magazine, Aug 17, 2006
Many believe Canada's medical marijuana program isn't working. But the recent expiration of the government contract to Manitoba's Prairie Plant Systems to supply medical marijuana may just give the program the shot in the arm it needs.

Despite the fact the Canadian government has already spent more than $5.5-milIion on the program, fewer than 200 Canadians are currently enrolled in the program. The Canadian AIDS Society reports only 1.7 per cent of Canadian medical marijuana patients take part in the government's program, while 85 per cent of them obtain their marijuana on the black market. "The proof is in the pudding - if the product is substandard, people will get it elsewhere," says Marc Boris St-Maurice of the Montreal Compassion Centre. "When Health Canada provides a top-notch product, then you'll find more people using it. Right now there are a lot of complaints about the quality, the concentration and the state in which [the pot] is delivered. A lot of that has to do with the restrictions and guidelines set by Health Canada, so it's not all the fault of Prairie Plant Systems."

St-Maurice expects the tendering process for a new medical marijuana contract will be open this September, at which point the Montreal Compassion Centre will submit a bid.  "We have the knowledge and experience because we deal with patients on a daily basis. We can deliver a product for a good price and meet Heath Canada's requirements, and at the same time better educate them to improve the program. We also think they should have more than one supplier so that monopoly isn't an issue. Competition is good." If the Montreal Compassion Centre gets the contract. St-Maurice says they'll grow the medical marijuana outside Montreal. "We'll set up shop in small towns in Quebec where people need the work."

Tony Clements. Minister for HEALTH CANADA

Dear Sir: Thank you for the last letter sent to the International |   Hempology 101 Society by Beth Pieterson of Health Canada on Feb 24. 2006 ( see Cannabis Digest #9).  If you are unaware of the correspondence between us, i am including in this package of information copies of our newsletter, Cannabis Digest, in which you will find the earlier letters.

Also in this package is a copy of the letter that Victoria mayor and council wrote to Health Canada stating their concerns regarding the inadequacies of the MMAR and requesting that the entire program be reviewed. We remind you of this letter because it was largely due to our continued efforts that the city council condemned your department's programs, as you can see by our inclusion in the list of official recipients of the letter. This letter was written because in January a representative from Health Canada refused to participate in a public meeting with local elected officials and instead held a small, superficial meeting with a few city staff, police and health authorities.

While we found some of the information in the last letter useful, two of the three answers were not addressed to our satisfaction. We are proceeding to propose amendments to the MMAR that would allow license holders to produce cannabis products without risk of being charged with possession of cannabis resin or THC. Thank you for explaining to us how that process should be instigated.

 The second question was, "If cooking with cannabis is illegal, should Health Canada not tell license holders they could be arrested for producing cannabis resin, a.k.a. hashish, or cannabis (THC) if they try?" However, the answer we received ignored the first half of the question. It appears from your answer that license holders are not specifically told that if they make cannabis food or skin products, they could be prosecuted for producing cannabis derivatives. In fact, your response indicates that license holders are warned not to produce hashish or hash oil but makes no mention of edible products, which is the focus of these questions.

We have never seen the information that you send to license holders that states they cannot produce hashish or hash oil. We would greatly appreciate it if you could send us that information with the response to this letter.

Though there is much historical evidence that eating low doses of cannabis has many medical benefits with few negative side effects. Most of the historical literature regarding the smoking of cannabis as medicine, ironically, records people like Queen Victoria using cannabis tincture, not the dried plant. While we have referred you to, WOMEN AND CANNABIS; MEDICINE. SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY, by Ethan Russo, Melanie Dreher and Mar- Lynn Mathre, The Hawthorne Press, 2002, your response ignored this book entirely and stated that your department was unable to find any scientific information about hash oil.  For some reason Health Canada's response totally ignores our references to eating cannabis cooked in butter and vegetable oil and pretends we are referring to hash and hash oil. Does Health Canada consider eating cannabis leaves in butter to be essentially the same as producing hashish?

Your departments final answer states that Health Canada has not done any research about cannabis resin. This is very disappointing because it was claimed in an earlier letter that research was actually a priority for Health Canada.  In that earlier letter it was claimed that. "Compared to dried marijuana, cannabis resin may also pose a greater risks to the patient due to  difficulty in dosing resulting from the increased-concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (,THC) and greater variability in the THC content." If Health Canada has no research about cannabis resin, then where does this statement come from?

The process of cooking- cannabis into food and skin products should be understood and promoted by Health Canada. Eating cannabis and applying it to the skin can provide great relief from pain and other symptoms related to serious medical problems. We are absolutely positive of this because of the living experience of the approximately 1800 members of our club who use cannabis food and skin products to help eat, sleep, walk and think better every single day.
We will continue to advocate for changes to the MMAR to include cannabis resin and cannabis (THC) until it happens. Many people's lives depend upon ingesting using methods other than smoking. It is ironic to think that we are trying to convince Health Canada that eating and topically applying cannabis can be a safe alternative to smoking. If drugs can be made using the various cannabinoids of cannabis, how can you deny sick people the right to make simple, natural food and skin products that are often more effective than prescription drugs with fewer negative side effects?

As you can tell from the letter from the City of Victoria, there are many people who believe that the MMAR have fundamental flaws which cause unnecessary suffering. Your job, and many people's lives, would be much easier if compassion clubs such as the CBC of C had exemptions from the CDSA to provide the cannabis products and services that sick people are demanding.

Though we do not expect any sudden changes in Health Canada that would quickly see the changes we want come into effect happen soon, we do hope that you will at least attempt to answer our questions with some thought in mind towards the sick and vulnerable people who depend upon this medicine.

Thank you for your time and if you have any questions about our club or products, please do not hesitate from calling me.
Leon 'Ted' Smith President, International Hempology 101 Society