To the editor:
As the local organizer for Sensible BC, Canada’s single largest advocacy organization dedicated to changing cannabis laws and policy, it was with real concern that I viewed a recent local TV news story where a licensed patient has had his rights—yes, I said rights—impacted by both the facilities administration and, through support, Interior Health.
If anyone wonders why there seems to be such a push to change our laws, it’s because of ill-informed, biased policy practices, without any medical or care-driven merit, such as those demonstrated by the Brookhaven Care Centre administration.
Owing to costs, public persuasion rather than legal action is the preferred method of ensuring cannabis patient rights. As such, I am encouraging Interior Health and Brookhaven Care Centre to rethink their policy on the legal use of cannabis by their patients. A potential escalation of this matter would be expensive and unwarranted. Given tax dollars are at play, I’d give this serious thought.
Mark Conlin, West Kelowna
