Dear Tom Mulcair & the NDP Party of Canada

Hi Tom,

I'm a middle-aged Ontarian and I want to see you as Prime Minister of Canada in the next Federal election.  Your stance on protecting Canadians' personal freedoms and privacy aligns with my own, and with that of thousands of others like me.

One undeniable yet unspoken election issue, involves one of these freedoms:  the freedom to use and grow the Cannabis plant.  I and thousands like me use Cannabis daily as medicine.  Please don't dismiss me us as people whose needs are covered under the MMPR.  This sham of a program gives the world the illusion that medical marijuana is easily attained in our great country.  The truth is, Docs know little to nothing about cannabis as medicine or how to proceed if they wish to recommend it. Many outright refuse to discuss it because they have heard of colleagues coming under scrutiny for simply showing interest in this Government approved program.  So now we have millions of patients lying to their doctors because they themselves fear scrutiny.  Doctors are hard to come by these days.

Will you watch this short video clip Tom?  It's a look into the life of one of the thousands of people like me who have a disorder that no pills will treat the way Cannabis treats.  Jacqueline, the woman in the video has an extreme stutter that has always affected her life.  The difference in her speaking voice after smoking Cannabis is awe-inspiring.  The pills can't do this Tom.  Nothing they have can do this.  But Cannabis can do it.  

The common argument is that Canada lacks studies.  There are studies Tom, lots of studies. Not to mention the simple fact that there's been a study going on for over 5000 years.  Even our beloved Health Canada website states under "Overdose/Toxicity" that "there has been no documented evidence of death exclusively attributable to cannabis overdose to date."  We can't even say that about water Tom, as you can die if you drink too much water.

Now I know legalizing Cannabis is a hard sell when it comes to some voters.  But there are many aspects to consider.  Not only is there me and people like Jacqueline, but there are so many more who want this plant regulated.  I'm hoping my like-minded Canadians will contact you as I have here on your website and express their desires for legalization.  I'll remind you that in Ontario I can legally grow up to 15 kgs of Tobacco for my own personal use, though tobacco kills almost 70,000 Canadians every single year.  

You seem like a person who is "real".  And I think that we'll never be right if we can't be real. Double standards exist regarding these two plants and this as it turns out is a dangerous thing.  Both plants are profitable commodities.  Who profits now Tom?  I implore you to be real about this topic. Here's something to consider:  where I live, a job at the LCBO or the OLGC Gan Casino is considered a good one.  You make great money in a safe, clean environment.  I have friends in both those positions and every shift they are faced with desperation.  Witnessing someone lose their shirt at the poker table must be choking.  And I've heard of alcoholics bribing liquor store clerks with house-cleaning services or worse, for a bottle.  These are both industries celebrating a substance and an activity that is highly addictive and detrimental to one's health and happiness.  Yet they're well-paying jobs one doesn't easily give up.  If society is fine with this fact, why can't it be convinced that growing a plant with medicinal properties for export is a good thing too?  Jobs, tax revenue, export, increased economy, and ameliorated health is an outcome you'll see.

The ongoing Conservative script we hear from Rona Ambrose tears down public trust and interest every time it denies that Cannabis is safe medicine.  Turn the newspaper page and you'll read about the kid who had 100 seizures a day until she tried Cannabis oil.  Turn it again and you'll read about Uruguay legalizing or Portugal decriminalizing.

Canada can grow the economy with you Tom ... you just have to let us.  I'm eager to discuss any and all of this with you at dinner when I win the "Dinner with Tom in Toronto" contest.  I'm encouraging others to enter too.

Sincerely,

the couch activist