T
The420Guy
Guest
Newshawk: creator@mapinc.org
Pubdate: Tue, 08 Aug 2000
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2000 Southam Inc.
Contact: letters@nationalpost.com
Address: 300 - 1450 Don Mills Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3R5
Fax: (416) 442-2209
Author: Nate Hendley
SOROS GROUP FUNDED CASE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA
U.S. think-tank backed by billionaire gave Canadian man $25,000 for appeal
A Toronto man who won the legal right to use marijuana for medicinal purposes received
financial support from a U.S. think-tank funded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
The Lindesmith Center gave more than US$25,000 to help cover Terry Parker's legal bills.
Mr. Parker uses the drug to fight his severe epilepsy. Last month, the Ontario Court of
Appeal not only upheld his right to use marijuana, but it declared Canada's cannabis law to be
unconstitutional. The court gave Parliament 12 months to rewrite the legislation so legitimate
patients can get medicinal cannabis.
Founded in 1994, the Lindesmith Center wants to "end marijuana prohibition for adults" and
soften drug laws in general, said director Ethan Nadelmann.
This summer, the Lindesmith Center merged with the Drug Policy Foundation and is now
"the leading organization in the United States advocating alternative drug policies," Mr.
Nadelmann said.
It has helped draft medical marijuana initiatives that have passed in Alaska, Washington,
Oregon, Colorado, Maine and Nevada. It is now backing a California ballot initiative that
would divert drug offenders into treatment instead of prison.
It also operates an annual US$125,000 defence fund to cover the legal expenses of those
seeking to change drug laws through the courts.
In 1997, Toronto criminal lawyer Aaron Harnett approached the Lindesmith Center to help
cover court costs for his client, Mr. Parker, who had been charged the previous year with
growing cannabis plants in his apartment.
The Lindesmith Center provided a few thousand dollars for expert witnesses who testified at
Mr. Parker's trial about the medical efficacy of marijuana.
Mr. Parker won his case and the Lindesmith Center dramatically boosted its support so Mr.
Harnett could fight off a Crown appeal. Mr. Parker won that appeal last month.
Over a two-year period, the Lindesmith Center provided Mr. Harnett and one other lawyer a
total of roughly US$25,000. These funds covered day-to-day legal expenses and the cost of
providing more expert witnesses for cross examination, says Mr. Harnett.
He calls it "money well spent."
Mr. Harnett doesn't see anything unusual about using U.S. dollars to pay for a court case in
Canada.
"It's naive to think our drug policies are unrelated to American drug policies," he said. "I don't
see anything offensive about taking a North American approach to drug policy reform."
The Lindesmith Center enjoys a high profile in the United States, largely because of generous
funding from George Soros, a wealthy currency speculator who runs an international
investment fund.
Born in 1930 in Hungary, he survived that country's takeover by Germany and then fled to
England in 1947.
Mr. Soros has devoted millions to fight what he perceives as threats to democracy.
Last year, Mr. Soros's charities handed out more than half-a-billion dollars, to fund
everything from establishing e-mail access in poor countries to developing democracy in
eastern Europe.
Since the mid-1990s, Mr. Soros has also pumped tens of millions of dollars into organizations
opposed to the so-called "war on drugs."
In addition to footing most of the Lindesmith Center's $3-million annual budget, Mr. Soros
gave $1-million in 1996 to promote ballot initiatives that legalized medical marijuana in
California and decriminalized drug use in Arizona.
Now, Mr. Soros's money might lead to major drug law reforms in Canada: Within days of
the appeal court's ruling, Anne McLellan, the Justice Minister, said Ottawa would consider
reducing penalties for possessing marijuana.
The Parker ruling also might open the door to a legal medical marijuana market in Canada.
Such a move would be welcomed by U.S. activists who complain their federal government
remains bitterly opposed to the medical use of pot.
"If medical marijuana can be accepted in Canada, by its people and judicial system, and if
medical marijuana distribution centres can be set up by government and police, certainly the
same thing can be done 60 miles away in the United States," said Daniel Abrahamson,
director of Lindesmith legal affairs.
MAP posted-by: Don Beck
Pubdate: Tue, 08 Aug 2000
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2000 Southam Inc.
Contact: letters@nationalpost.com
Address: 300 - 1450 Don Mills Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3R5
Fax: (416) 442-2209
Author: Nate Hendley
SOROS GROUP FUNDED CASE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA
U.S. think-tank backed by billionaire gave Canadian man $25,000 for appeal
A Toronto man who won the legal right to use marijuana for medicinal purposes received
financial support from a U.S. think-tank funded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
The Lindesmith Center gave more than US$25,000 to help cover Terry Parker's legal bills.
Mr. Parker uses the drug to fight his severe epilepsy. Last month, the Ontario Court of
Appeal not only upheld his right to use marijuana, but it declared Canada's cannabis law to be
unconstitutional. The court gave Parliament 12 months to rewrite the legislation so legitimate
patients can get medicinal cannabis.
Founded in 1994, the Lindesmith Center wants to "end marijuana prohibition for adults" and
soften drug laws in general, said director Ethan Nadelmann.
This summer, the Lindesmith Center merged with the Drug Policy Foundation and is now
"the leading organization in the United States advocating alternative drug policies," Mr.
Nadelmann said.
It has helped draft medical marijuana initiatives that have passed in Alaska, Washington,
Oregon, Colorado, Maine and Nevada. It is now backing a California ballot initiative that
would divert drug offenders into treatment instead of prison.
It also operates an annual US$125,000 defence fund to cover the legal expenses of those
seeking to change drug laws through the courts.
In 1997, Toronto criminal lawyer Aaron Harnett approached the Lindesmith Center to help
cover court costs for his client, Mr. Parker, who had been charged the previous year with
growing cannabis plants in his apartment.
The Lindesmith Center provided a few thousand dollars for expert witnesses who testified at
Mr. Parker's trial about the medical efficacy of marijuana.
Mr. Parker won his case and the Lindesmith Center dramatically boosted its support so Mr.
Harnett could fight off a Crown appeal. Mr. Parker won that appeal last month.
Over a two-year period, the Lindesmith Center provided Mr. Harnett and one other lawyer a
total of roughly US$25,000. These funds covered day-to-day legal expenses and the cost of
providing more expert witnesses for cross examination, says Mr. Harnett.
He calls it "money well spent."
Mr. Harnett doesn't see anything unusual about using U.S. dollars to pay for a court case in
Canada.
"It's naive to think our drug policies are unrelated to American drug policies," he said. "I don't
see anything offensive about taking a North American approach to drug policy reform."
The Lindesmith Center enjoys a high profile in the United States, largely because of generous
funding from George Soros, a wealthy currency speculator who runs an international
investment fund.
Born in 1930 in Hungary, he survived that country's takeover by Germany and then fled to
England in 1947.
Mr. Soros has devoted millions to fight what he perceives as threats to democracy.
Last year, Mr. Soros's charities handed out more than half-a-billion dollars, to fund
everything from establishing e-mail access in poor countries to developing democracy in
eastern Europe.
Since the mid-1990s, Mr. Soros has also pumped tens of millions of dollars into organizations
opposed to the so-called "war on drugs."
In addition to footing most of the Lindesmith Center's $3-million annual budget, Mr. Soros
gave $1-million in 1996 to promote ballot initiatives that legalized medical marijuana in
California and decriminalized drug use in Arizona.
Now, Mr. Soros's money might lead to major drug law reforms in Canada: Within days of
the appeal court's ruling, Anne McLellan, the Justice Minister, said Ottawa would consider
reducing penalties for possessing marijuana.
The Parker ruling also might open the door to a legal medical marijuana market in Canada.
Such a move would be welcomed by U.S. activists who complain their federal government
remains bitterly opposed to the medical use of pot.
"If medical marijuana can be accepted in Canada, by its people and judicial system, and if
medical marijuana distribution centres can be set up by government and police, certainly the
same thing can be done 60 miles away in the United States," said Daniel Abrahamson,
director of Lindesmith legal affairs.
MAP posted-by: Don Beck
