Pubdate: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Neal Hall Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada) COURT OF APPEAL UPHOLDS RESEARCHER'S DRUG SENTENCE VANCOUVER - The B.C. Court of Appeal has upheld a one-year conditional sentence imposed on a medicinal marijuana researcher who was caught growing an estimated $2 million worth of pot. Lawyer John Conroy argued on behalf of his client, Paul Hornby, that the sentencing judge failed to treat Hornby differently than commercial marijuana growers. Hornby had a contract to sell marijuana at cost to the Compassion Club, which supplies medicinal marijuana to people who have a Health Canada exemption to grow and possess the drug. Hornby was president of Hedron Analytical Inc., which had a Health Canada licence to do analysis of marijuana plants to determine THC content. The company wasn't permitted to grow marijuana. Hornby's lawyer argued that his client was doing medicinal marijuana research, trying to find out how marijuana could be used without the intoxicating effects of the drug. Hornby, who has a zoology degree and a PhD in human pathology, was sentenced last March 3 after pleading guilty to one count of possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, and possessing an unregistered firearm. Police found a replica M-16 rifle in a closet in Hornby's Richmond home. He told police the weapon was for "a little security on the chance of someone invading the house." The gun wasn't loaded and Hornby had no ammunition. Police seized nine boxes of dried marijuana weighing 18 kilograms, seven plastic bags of buds weighing 980 grams, 43 dried plants, plus 367 living plants and 1,892 clones. The estimated street value of the pot was between $664,000 and $2.4 million. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin