Ottawa seeks source of medical marijuana

The federal government's recent decision to establish a Canadian source of quality and affordable research-grade marijuana is particularly good news for the 37 Canadians who have exemptions that allow them to smoke the drug because of illness.

"This is definitely a step in the right direction," says Alison Myrden of Burlington, Ont., who is allowed to use marijuana because she has multiple sclerosis. "I hope life will be a bit less complicated because I would no longer have to go to the streets." FIGURE

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Myrden is among the handful of MS patients who develop tic douloureux (trigeminal neuralgia), which causes "excruciating" facial pain. Although marijuana helps control her pain, she has had a hard time finding the drug. When she could find it, the cost was $400 a month. She now receives free marijuana from the Compassion Club Society of British Columbia (see CMAJ 1999;161[8]:1024), but she says the strength and the amount have not been adequate to control her pain. Under the Health Canada plan, a grower would establish a processing operation, provide quality control and distribute the marijuana to "authorized recipients." Myrden says the greatest need is for an "appropriate, consistent and affordable source for our medication." The marijuana produced for the government will also be used in clinical trials.

Myrden is unsure what the government marijuana will cost, but hopes it will be cheaper than the $300 to $400 per month she used to pay. "I hope the government will take into consideration the fact that most exemptees are either dying or on full disability, and affordability is a key factor," she says.

As for concerns about possible detrimental effects from exempting some people from the provisions of section 56 of Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Myrden responds: "Those of us who use this drug medicinally are not potheads or drug addicts. We are sick and dying people."