It’s a strange feeling and to be honest, I am struggling to describe it; as soon as The Cannabis Act receives Royal Assent, I could face 14 years in jail because I help manage a compassion club and we sell cannabis to sick people. We have no intention of denying life-saving medicine to our members, or anyone else who meets our membership requirements, come what may.
The Plan – Get everyone so high that they won’t realize their rights are being taken from them
On one hand, I am happy to see all the squares working at the Federal Government unbutton their collars and get on board with the “wacky tabacky”. However, having recreational cannabis as the sole and primary focus is blatantly irresponsible. Getting stoned recreationally is not only the main priority, it is the ONLY priority.
Maybe the hope is that even though The Cannabis Act will prevent access to life-saving medicine, the general public will be so ‘legally’ baked that they will not notice.
The prognosis for medicinal patients isn’t good…
Compassion clubs and dispensaries provide an invaluable service- cannabis access. Health Canada will not back any new medical findings without long-term human studies (10-15 years), so every time a doctor signs a prescription for cannabis, they put their medical license on the line.
If you cannot find a doctor who feels like you are worth the risk, you will never be able to purchase cannabis from a licensed producer, get any medicinal tax benefits, or even buy medicine at a reasonable price; unless you go to a dispensary.
The government is relying on recreational dispensaries to provide medicinal access for those they rip it away from and it’s pretty clear that they don’t care that the cost for that person will skyrocket.
What about edibles?
Dispensaries have bridged the gap and it is no secret that most dispensaries have a variety of products that you cannot find from an LP. Furthermore, unless your doctor has split your prescription, you have one choice for your cannabis provider because you can only purchase from one LP. Recreational regulations have made note of the fact that they need a year to figure out what to do about edibles so if your LP doesn’t provide them, come October 17th, you will not be able to buy an edible anywhere.
You are allowed to have edibles if you make them for yourself but for the people who need them the most, this is so unfair, it is cruel.
What do you do if you are in a wheelchair with the severe muscle spasms of cerebral palsy? Or, what if you can’t risk losing your home because of the smell caused by baking?
Civil disobedience – The Only Option
I keep thinking those two words over and over, fourteen years. How much does it cost to put someone away for 14 years?
I am sitting here, drinking my morning tea and getting ready for another day at work but I can’t help but think that my days could very well be numbered. I can almost see the words, “fourteen years”, but for just a fleeting moment. My heart cannot ignore all the incredible, and sometimes miraculous things that I have experienced working at an illegal compassion club.
I was a member first and then was hired at The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club when I was healthy enough to work; the club saved my life and now I give back to it. I am so proud to be able to say that we refuse to comply with these regulations because it would inevitably lead to our members suffering. There are many different reasons someone might end up in jail and personally, I cannot think of a better one than this.
Until every single Canadian has access to safe, affordable medicinal cannabis, it is the responsibility of the current cannabis industry to fight for the rights of medicinal patients, despite whatever consequences may unjustly result.
Featured image courtesy of Green Doctor Network.