Selling Out?

The accusations abound that medical activists are sell-outs who are helping to widen the gap between recreational users and medical users which makes it more difficult to gain support for total legalization. There is quite a variance of opinion amongst medical activists themselves, so each club reflects the philosophy of it's directors. In order to have any form of legitimacy, compromises have to be made - that's life. The CCC can play an important role in deciding the difference between compromising and selling-out.

The ideology set forth at the first meeting of the CCC hinged on the word "medicinal" or "therapeutic" being incorporated into the mission statement. The nuance was significant enough to provoke discussion and the vote led to a consensus to approach our mandate in the broadest terms..

The middle-ground approach of working toward the regulation of therapeutic cannabis for anyone using it to improve the quality of their life has caused little or no opposition except from the extreme reactionary types. Common sense dictates everyone should have access to a clean, safe supply but surely the ill should have access regardless of all other considerations if our compassion is real. .

If there is any doubt about the need for a clean safe supply; purchase cannabis off the street for about six months, preferably anywhere outside of BC. Then picture yourself ill and depending on this for medicine. It can be very difficult to find a steady supply and the questionable quality of the product should convince anyone that implemention of standards and regulations along with established outlets for dispensing are needed to carry out our mandate. .

Another function of the CCC may be the same any self-regulating association imposes on itself by way of standards, ethics, quality control measures and regulations. The entire modern cannabis industry has always been in dire need of standards and regulation and doing that ourselves would make more sense than having the government trying to do it for us somewhere down the road. .

The government's obvious reluctance to be realistic about cannabis by expecting everyone to believe all the bureaucracy is rational and necessary is our nemesis. Right now it is the 'be all', but it is not the 'end all'. How influential we are in deciding possible outcomes depends a lot on our own ideologies, stamina and efforts to organize. With over 83% of popular support, having a strong political or lobby wing could be really helpful. What does our government fear the most - the USA or losing their jobs - let's find out! .

There are still important pieces of the national puzzle missing (YOU ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE !!!) but it is coming together and creating a formidable picture of the Canadian cannabis movement. .

So let's pull together like never before! .

Deb Harper .