Growing medical marijuana: Should government foot the bill?

A Nova Scotia couple is suing the provincial government for the cost of equipment and electricity to produce medical marijuana.

Marijuana plants flourish under grow lights at a warehouse in Denver. (Ed Andrieski/Associated Press)Sam and Tanya (who asked that their last names not be used) have licences from Health Canada to grow marijuana for their own use.

They have disabilities and are on income assistance, and they say they don't have the money for the equipment and electricity needed to grow pot indoors.

Last year, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court ordered the government to pay for the medical marijuana for a Halifax women on income assistance.

In a related story, the RCMP says some medical marijuana licences are being misused to produce more plants than are legally allowed, or to produce hashish.

Should government cover the costs for low-income licensed marijuana growers? Do the rules for medical marijuana need to be changed to address problems like low-income patients and licence misuse? Let us know what you think in the comments below.



(This survey is not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)