Pubdate: Wed, 24 Dec 2003
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation.
Contact:  http://www.lfpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243
Author: Canadian Press

POT ADVOCATES 'BUMMED OUT'

VANCOUVER -- The Supreme Court of Canada's decision to uphold the federal 
government's right to outlaw marijuana upset pot advocates who believed 
history's tide was on their side. "I was dreaming of a green Christmas, but 
they grinched out on us," said David Malmo-Levine of Vancouver, one of 
three Canadians who challenged the constitutionality of pot possession laws 
before the high court. "Their hearts are two sizes too small."

Marijuana activists gathered at the Vancouver headquarters of Pot-TV, 
wrapping their sorrows in a thick blanket of pot smoke.

Malmo-Levine, who argued his own case before the Supreme Court, said he 
wasn't bothered his possession conviction was upheld, but said he felt 
betrayed by the judges.

"What's worse is that the laws are still on the books," he said. "What we 
were really trying to do with the constitutional challenge was to get the 
laws off the books."

The ruling will only fuel the market for illegally grown pot and the 
dangers that industry represents, such as illegally wired grow-ops and 
proliferation of guns, said Malmo-Levine.

Crime dropped in countries such as Holland that allow regulated sale of 
marijuana, he said.

The Liberal government's proposed legislation to decriminalize possession 
of small amounts of pot will not help, Malmo-Levine said.

"That version is worse than nothing at all because it will involve more 
people . . . getting fines and going to jail because of not paying fines," 
he said.

Malmo-Levine said he was "bummed out, man."

Marijuana Party president Marc Emery, a former Londoner who held a 
cross-country pot-smoking protest this year, said he's worried about the 
future of new Prime Minister Paul Martin's pledge to reintroduce the 
proposed legislation.

The bill's provisions to toughen penalties for those who grow pot "affects 
a quarter-million people in British Columbia and could potentially double 
the prison population within a few short years," Emory said.

Philippe Luca, with the Vancouver Island Compassion Society, said the court 
had an opportunity to issue a ruling "based on science and reason."

"I'm disappointed that instead we're going to be spending another $340 
million or so this year on maintaining cannabis prohibition and 
criminalizing another 50,000 Canadians for behaviour that's neither harmful 
to themselves or society."

He said the black market will continue to flourish, which makes it harder 
to keep pot out of the hands of children.

Jim Wood, owner of Hemp NB's Cannabis Cafe in Saint John, N.B., whose 
members can buy pot for medicinal purposes, said the ruling didn't concern him.

"Really it doesn't change anything. It's only a ruling on recreational use 
and there's really nothing in there to do with medicinal marijuana."

Randy Caine of Langley, B.C., also involved in the constitutional 
challenge, said he was pleased the issue reached the high court. Public 
attitudes toward pot use have softened dramatically, he said. "I think 
we've all sort of come out of the closet."
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