Provided by: Canadian Press
Written by: DENNIS BUECKERT
Feb. 2, 2006
Source: http://chealth.canoe.ca
OTTAWA (CP) - Medical marijuana advocates are angry over the
treatment of a Regina AIDS patient who was arrested after his pot
licence expired.
Tom Shapiro was handcuffed, along with his wife and son, for four
hours while police tried to determine his status in Health Canada's
medical marijuana program, said an official with the Canadian AIDS
Society.
"I'm very, very angry and upset at what happened," said Lynne
Belle-Isle of the society, who has been in frequent contact with
Shapiro since his house was raided Tuesday.
"There seems to be a broken link in the communications at Health Canada.
"We're talking about a very sick man who can barely walk. He's not
exactly a threat to police or the community and he's been trying so
hard to abide by the law."
Tom Shapiro was being held at the Regina police station Thursday while
officials tried to decide whether to charge him, his wife Roberta said
in an interview.
She said her husband's licence was delayed because Health Canada
lost his photographs.
"It was absolutely traumatic," she said, describing the raid carried
out by eight police officers, four wearing balaclavas.
After Health Canada confirmed that his licence had expired, the
police removed 16 plants from his basement, she said.
Her husband is unwell and has been throwing up more often since his
pot supply was confiscated, she said.
Tom Shapiro has been using medical marijuana since 2001, she said.
Health Canada faxed his new licence Thursday.
Health Canada spokesman Chris Williams said he could not comment on
individual cases, although he was aware of the Shapiro case.
He said it normally takes six weeks to get a licence but people are
encouraged to file the application in plenty of time.
"As soon as a licence has expired, it's no longer valid," he said.
"Ultimately, the issue rests with the police."
Elizabeth Popowich, spokeswoman for the Regina police, confirmed the
raid and said it would not be unusual for police to wear balaclavas or
use handcuffs.
"Executing a drug search is considered a high-risk warrant," she
said. "I don't think it would be outside of normal procedure."
She said investigators were interviewing Shapiro and had not decided
whether to charge him.
Alison Myrden, a Burlington, Ont., woman who uses marijuana to treat
pain associated with multiple sclerosis, said many patients have
trouble with the Health Canada process.
"They put us through so many hoops it's a circus."
