SASKATOON – After suffering a broken neck several years ago, Kerry O’Grady found himself in need of major pain relief,.
He found that in medical marijuana and now grows his own plants.
“It allows me the full function of my neck. Before I started using medical marijuana, I went to my doctor and the nerves in my back were so inflamed, my doctor couldn’t even touch my back,” he told Global News.
His wife, Gloria, has endured searing post-surgical pain after battling lung cancer.
“I also have nerve damage. When I had surgery, they crushed my ribs to remove a lung and when it healed, it trapped a nerve. Now I have nerve damage and arthritis,” she said.
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After trying a number of medications to counter the discomfort, she decided to try cannabis. It worked, but as of April 1, 2014 users will no longer be able to grow their own supply at home.
On Tuesday, the Conservative government of Canada will launch a $1.3 billion free market system for medical marijuana. That means it will be produced in mass quantities at indoor farms by licensed growers.
Jeff Lundstrom has been growing his own cannabis for 12 years and he is licensed to grow the plants until April 27.
“My license says ’til the 27th and I’m not cutting a plant down until then,” said Lundstrom.
He is among a group of individuals who have since launched a campaign to file an injunction against the federal government. The move is meant to hold off the new regulations.
“It’s easy for them to just be ignorant and say we don’t have the medical proof, but cannabis has been around for how long? People have been using it as medicine for thousands of years, so you’re telling me they don’t know the benefits of it already?”
Saskatoon-based Prairie Plant Systems was named the first licensed producer under the new regulations.
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