OTTAWA — The government will appeal the Federal Court's injunction that allows medical pot smokers to keep growing their own stash.

It's the latest in a long string of court battles over the federal government's decision to get out of the marijuana-growing business.

Earlier this month, the Federal Court gave a coalition of people who use the drug for medicinal purposes an exemption from new Health Canada rules, which were set to eliminate 30,000 licences for homegrown pot on April 1 and force patients to buy what the feds say would be "quality-controlled" marijuana from approved commercial producers.

On Monday, the federal government said it will ask for the decision to be considered by the Federal Court of Appeal.

Twelve companies have secured licenses to grow, and the government has received more than 600 more applications.

"I want to emphasize that marijuana is not an approved drug or medicine in Canada," Health Minister Rona Ambrose said in a statement that did not address the appeal directly. "Health Canada does not endorse the use of marijuana, but the courts have required reasonable access to a legal source for medical purposes."

Adam Greenblatt of the Medical Cannabis Access Society says the government is wasting money on a losing battle that happens to be "cruel and punitive."

"People should have the ability to grow their own supply and also have access to licensed growers."

John, a project manager at Greenleaf, one of the licensed companies, who would not give his last name, said the Federal Court's injunction will make it tough for his company to keep the prices down in the absence of new customers to offset his costs.

"The black market is still flooded."