Maritime medical marijuana users greet court decision

Medical marijuana users in the Maritimes are greeting a Federal Court judge’s decision that puts a hold on new Health Canada rules forbidding the use of home-grown pot.

The court will weigh the constitutionality of federal legislation that directs medication marijuana users to buy only from registered commercial growers.

The legislation was due to come into force April 1, but the temporary injunction delays it until the case can be heard by the courts.

That's a relief to Debbie Stultz-Giffin, with Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana.

"It seemed to be, especially the last few weeks, coming down the pipe awfully fast," she said of the legislation. "The mood swing of patients was anywhere between out-and-out sheer terror or absolute defiance."

One of the concerns with the new legislation is that medical marijuana produced by companies will be too expensive and some users may not be able to afford it.

Stultz-Giffin said she believes the court will ultimately strike down the new law, siding with patients and allowing them to keep producing their own medical marijuana.

The roughly 40,000 Canadians with an authorization to possess medical marijuana will be allowed to continue to do so under the injunction, though they will only be permitted to hold up to 150 grams.