MARIJUANA PARTY WANTS 'CLUBS'

Just like Bob Dylan, the British Columbia Marijuana Party wouldn't feel so
all alone if everybody could just get stoned for medical purposes.

This is why the party is hoping authorities will allow them to open
compassion clubs across the province, even in Kamloops, by the fall.

"We're not going out just handing out marijuana," says party member Vern
Falk, who ran in the last provincial election. "This would be for people
who need medicinal marijuana."

Despite the fact Health Canada has approved marijuana use for a little more
than 250 people, Falk says 70,000 in British Columbia alone use it for
medical purposes.

"Obviously, the rules and the laws aren't in sync with what's happening.
We'll liaison with the police. This isn't anything new."

In sync or not, the law is the law, according to RCMP Sgt. Randy Brown, who
says police will shut down the local club.

"They can no more operate a compassion club than the Hells Angels can start
a grow op. If they are going in and distributing drugs without due process,
we're going to enforce the law."

However, it's the due process which isn't working, according to AIDS
Society of Kamloops client services co-ordinator Paul Lagace, who knows of
six local people given approval to use marijuana for medical purposes.

"Once they give the exception, the person is on their own for access," says
Lagace, adding many who can't afford to buy it off the street try growing
their own. "That places a lot of risk on the person that needs to grow it.
I don't agree with the necessity of a compassion club. A compassion club
does what Health Canada should be doing."

Health Canada officials admit they are not supplying people with safe
methods to access pot, despite the exemptions. A Saskatoon company has been
contracted to grow marijuana for medical and research needs which could be
available by next year, if Ottawa approves regulations.

"We understand there's a problem and we're trying to rectify this," says
media relations officer Paige Kovach.

The issue has raised debate in Ottawa.


Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Sun, 10 Jun 2001
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Kamloops This Week
Contact: ktw@bcnewsgroup.com
Website: http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271