HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s Community Services Department is considering its response to a decision that would require it to provide financial help to a woman who grows marijuana for her own medical purposes.
Spokeswoman Kristen Tynes said Monday the department had referred the decision by the Income Assistance Appeals Board to its legal counsel to determine the next step.
She wouldn’t say whether there would be an appeal.
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A CBC report says an unidentified couple who live in Amherst have licences from Health Canada to grow up to 25 plants, but they can only afford to grow six and sometimes run low on their supply.
The appeal board ruled the department should help the woman, who is on income assistance, rather than pay for her marijuana.
Under the ruling, Community Services would have to pay a one-time cost of $2,500 to set up the grow operation and $400 a year for supplies.
Tynes said the department currently helps pay the cost of purchasing medical marijuana for three people on income assistance.
She said one of the three is a Halifax woman who won a court challenge last year that forced Community Services to pay for her marijuana as a special need.
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