photo courtesy of Umberto Iorfida
The following is exerpted from April '98 High Times, page 21 and 30.
NOTE : This decision is being appealed by the prosecution. This is not the final decision.
Special Article about Terry Parker , which recently appeared in Cannabis Canada magazine, by NORML Canada president Umberto Iorfida : Click Here .
For a collection of Parker Victory articles from Dec. '97, click here
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For more on Terry Parker at this site, go to our medical section : Click Here.
For a list of Terry Parker clippings : click here
External Links :
Great article from the Ottawa Citizen of 11 Dec., 1997 : click here .
The Lancet, prestigiouis British medical journal, reports on Terry's success : Lancet , (as archived by "marijuana news" site).
NOW article by ENZO Di MATTEO
Sign of the Times.
Jill Bora article
Kirk Makin article from the Toronto Globe.
The following is exerpted from April '98 High Times, page 21 and 30.
By Pearce Bannon
A Toronto epileptic's successful constitutional challenge of Canada's drug laws may lead to the nationwide legalization of marijuana for medicinal use.
In a landmark decision, Ontario provincial judge Patrick Sheppard ruled last December that it was unconstitutional to deny 42 year old Terry Parker his right to use an effective medicine to prevent severe epileptic seizures.
"Mr. Parker stands a daily risk of being deprived of his right to life, liberty and security," said Judge Sheppard in his 26 page written ruling. The judge said that although the nation's drug laws were written to protect the health and well-being of Canadians, they hurt people such as Parker who benefit medically from smoking marijuana : "Deprivation to (Parker) arising from a blanket prohibition denying him possession of marihuana, in the circumstances of this case, does little or nothing to enhance the state's interest in better health for this individual member of the community."
In his ruling's conclusion, Judge Sheppard exempted from Canada's marijuana laws all persons in his jurisdiction who cultivate and possess it for "personal medically approved use." To prevent any misunderstanding, he stressed several times in court that only those individuals who have "medically approved" authorization would be exempt from pot prosecution.
For Parker, the ruling was both a major victory and a lifesaver. "I believe this is a victory for everybody in Canada, medical users especially," said Parker, who had battled authorities for (well over) ten years over his medication. He thanked Judge Sheppard for his "courage" in making his ruling, and urged judges across Canada to follow suit.
(For entire article, see April '98 HIGH TIMES magazine.)