By Laura Payton | Published by Parliamentary Bureau
A woman who’s been waiting five months for an updated license to use medical marijuana says the situation for patients is getting worse.
Marie Tripp filed an application in August to change her license after her doctor doubled her prescription for cannabis, and spoke to QMI Agency at the end of September about previous delays she suffered while getting renewals and changes for her license.
Tripp suffers from fibro myalgia, chronic fatigue and osteoarthritis, but doesn’t use any painkillers other than marijuana.
She has waited so long for the approval, however, that she’s only five weeks away from having to renew her old license. Renewal is an annual requirement for those individuals approved to use pot to ease their chronic pain and help their appetites.
Tripp says she confirmed her application was in order, but was then told she submitted too much information, and her application was being returned to her.
Health Canada issues licenses to people with debilitating illnesses and prescriptions from their doctors. Almost 5,000 Canadians have licenses to carry marijuana and a little more than 3,500 have a license to grow it.
But Tripp and others worry they risk being charged with possession, or even having their homes raided by police, while they wait.
“My grower is growing what I’m allowed, without a valid license for the amount that’s on my table,” Tripp said, “because of Health Canada’s inability to get the cards to us.”
Tripp has resubmitted her application as a license renewal with an amendment, but her application is now on the bottom of the pile again.
