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| Canadian Inmate Fights to Smoke Medicinal Pot |
| By CTV |
| Published: 03/17/2003 |
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A Maritime man in Canadian federal prison says he needs marijuana to ease the pain that keeps him from eating. CTV reports Michael Patriquen can't get his hands on what he wants to roll. Patriquen's neck pain stems from a car accident and he has lost 37 pounds since he was jailed last fall. The father of two holds a federal license to use pot for medicinal purposes and he's taking his case to court. 'When I'm in pain, which is most of the time...I'm nauseous...my stomach is upset,' Patriquen said. The pot activist, who founded the Nova Scotia Marijuana party, is serving a six-year prison sentence for conspiring to traffic the drug in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. CTV reports two specialists have agreed marijuana would help his situation and Health Canada gave him the okay to legally smoke the drug. But prison officials say they know of no other inmate with a pot permit. Patriquen has at least one high level politician on his side. Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, who supports making marijuana legal, says Patriquen's rights are being trampled on. He said Patriquen is entitled to get it 'no matter where he is in Canada.' Canada's Solicitor General Wayne Easter disagrees. He is dead set against inmates toking up -- even if they are very sick. 'We don't want to go down that route...if you are in prison you're not there to smoke marijuana,' he said. The powerful marijuana ingredient THC can be taken in pill form. But Patriquen says the pills don't work and he plans to take his court to federal court. 'If they don't want to do it voluntarily we'll do it in court. But I'm not going to die waiting for it,' Patriquen said. He argues that inmates are given morphine, methadone and other drugs -- so why not marijuana? |
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