Regina medical marijuana user welcomes new laws

After growing his own marijuana for years, Ryan Murray says he can now do so without the fear of criminal prosecution.

"For me personally, it's a big smile on my face."said Murray. "Now I get to grow my medical cannabis again".

• New Canadian medical marijuana rules open door to more legal home-growing
• Ban on medical marijuana patients growing own pot struck down by Federal Court

Effective Wednesday, new federal rules allow people authorized to use medical marijuanato grow it, or have someone else grow it for them.

The amount will be limited, though.For example, someone prescribed a gram a day could grow two plants outdoors, or five plants indoors.

Health Canada says plants grown outdoors yield more supply than indoor plants.

Murray, 37, saidyears of snowboarding, skateboarding and hockey injuries have taken a toll on his body, leaving him with arthritic pain.

Also suffering from depression, Murray said pot eases both his physical and mental pain.

"Cannabis works for me. I inhale it, I eat it, spice up my food with it, capsules," said Murray."I stay away from any pharmaceuticals. I feel they're really dangerous to ourbodies."

Under the new rules, only licensed suppliers will be a legal source for marijuana plants and seeds.

Expecting a close eye kept on gardeners

Murray said he expects tougher rules and more inspections for those who want to grow their own pot.

"I firmly believe you'll see more city police, city fire inspecting pot-growing operations," said Murray. "They'll look to see if people are growing more than their limit of pot plants."

"And if the electrical system, for example, is safe for a grow-opI'm good with it.If my neighbourhood is growing marijuana, I wanna know if my house isn't in jeopardy from a sparkfire".

The new regulations are a response to a Federal Court decision earlier this year.

That ruling found the ban on patients growing medical marijuana to be a violation of their constitutional rights and took away affordable access to medicine.

Murray said denying him and so many others from pain relief was wrong.

Now he's prepared for the growing pains of a new weed world.

"If I have to be inspected, tested, checked, regulated, no biggie." said Murray. " At least now the government will allow me to grow my own medicine."