Pubdate: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC) Section: Page 7 Copyright: 2003 Nelson Daily News Contact: http://www.nelsondailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/288 Author: Kathy Kiel HOLY SMOKE CELEBRATES SEVENTH YEAR Controversial Business Was Started As A Statement The Holy Smoke Culture Shop will celebrate its seventh anniversary this weekend and one of the business' founders said he's amazed that they've been around for so long. "It's worked over the years and we've had really good support of the community. We want to thank all those people who have helped us make it through," said Dustin Cantwell, one of the men who started the venture back in 1996. The trio Cantwell, Paul DeFelice and Alan Middlemiss never intended to get into retail as a business but instead as more of a "political action." "We're activists foremost and retailers second." Cantwell said the group felt there was a need for Holy Smoke as there was a "right, right-wing upsurge at the time" and they wanted to counteract that "with the expression of our beliefs and the beliefs of the cannabis community in the area." Holy Smoke provides a place where people can come (who are over 19) to smoke cannabis, be safe and feel they're in element where there are "other people of like mind who enjoy cannabis as a sacred herb," and who enjoy smoking for recreation and for health reasons, said Cantwell. However, Holy Smoke is not just a place for people to go puff on a joint. The business sells marijuana paraphernalia, literature and the employees are available to answer anybody's questions about the drug, said Cantwell. Some opponents may say that the service Holy Smoke provides only enables people on their path to substance abuse. "I would tell them that if we're trying to show the things that lead to drug abuse we would find that 95 per cent of people who were breast-fed later became addicts," said Cantwell sarcastically. "You could say everybody who has ever had a Coca-Cola in their lives later became addicts." He furthered that the "myth" that pot is the "gateway drug" to harder substances has been disproved by the Senate in Canada and by the House of Commons. The public is invited to celebrate their anniversary at the David Thompson Cultural Centre tonight. There will be no smoking permitted in the facility however deejays will be spinning tunes. As well Sound Foundation is playing and information on the store will be provided. Admission is $10. Doors open at 8 - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman