The Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (PLEA) is a non-profit, non-government organization that provides the people of Saskatchewan with understandable, useful information and education on our laws and legal system.
For almost ten years, Canadians suffering from grave or debilitating illnesses where conventional treatments are inappropriate or inadequate have been allowed to apply for access to marijuana as part of their treatment. Currently eligible individuals include those who are receiving compassionate, end-of-life care (palliative treatment), those that suffer severe pain or persistent muscle spasms from MS, spinal cord injuries or disease, individuals suffering severe pain or weight loss from cancer or HIV/AIDS, individuals suffering severe pain from arthritis, and those suffering seizures from epilepsy. Other individuals may also be eligible to apply for access to medical marijuana if they suffer debilitating symptoms from their condition and the symptoms cannot be effectively treated or managed with conventional methods.
Applicants must provide basic background information about themselves and their condition. The application must be accompanied by a medical declaration in support of the application completed by a medical practitioner. Applicants must also submit passport-sized photographs that will be used on identification cards issued once the application process is complete and approved. The photo identification can be used to establish that the individual is authorized to possess marijuana for medical purposes.Applicants may choose to access medical marijuana in one of three ways. Individuals may choose to grow their own supply of marijuana for medical purposes, they may designate another individual to grow the marijuana for them, or they may choose to access it through Health Canada. Marijuana produced for Health Canada is highly standardized and controlled and is available in seed form for those individuals that choose to grow their own marijuana. Either the seeds or marijuana in its dried form may be purchased from Health Canada. All individuals wishing to produce medical marijuana must obtain a licence from Health Canada.
For general legal information on other areas of the law, contact Public Legal Education Association at 500-333 25th Street East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K 0L4; by phone at (306) 653-1868; or see our web site at www.plea.org.
