Pubdate: Mon, 13 Sep 2004
Source: Varsity, The (CN ON Edu)
Copyright: 2004 The Varsity
Contact:  http://www.thevarsity.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2663
Author: Katie A. Szymanski

AN AFTERNOON ON THE GRASS

Alex Phillips rolls up a herbal jazz cigarette at the Marijuana 
Legalization Day of Action

The grassy field behind the SAC offices was the location for the first 
Marijuana Legalization Day of Action at U of T on Sunday afternoon.

Organized by SAC External Commissioner Sam Rahimi, the event was held to 
raise awareness about Canada's laws surrounding the use of marijuana and 
the varied supporters among Canadian people for the legalization of marijuana.

About 100 people attended the afternoon's events, a group made up of 
students, interested citizens and professionals, many of whom are involved 
in marijuana organizations and advocacy groups.

For Rahimi, his main reason in organizing the event was his concern over 
the difficult issues surrounding the use of marijuana for medicinal 
purposes by people in need, and his strong belief in the personal autonomy 
over one's own body.

"It's crazy that the government can tell you what you can and can't put in 
your body," he explained, and that "sick people can get addictive drugs 
from their drugstore like morphine, and you can't really argue that 
marijuana causes bodily harm."

Alison Myrden, an activist with the Medical Marijuana Mission, Law 
Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) and multiple-sclerosis sufferer, 
spoke at the event and talked with a member of SAC's external commission, 
Saba Tariq, about medicinal marijuana issues.

Tariq, a political science student entering law school next year, came to 
the event "to get informed, especially about medicinal users because of all 
the drugs they have to take already and what side effects they have."

As an individual who doesn't use marijuana herself, Tariq said she could 
now teach others in the organizations she belongs to, and advocate for 
change in Canadian law.

Lawyer, professor and pre-eminent pot activist Allan Young also spoke at 
the event, calling for the laws to be changed to address what he calls 
Canada's most popular national pastime (not lacrosse) which, he says, is 
"three million people strong."

Fighting against the Canadian government and arguing the value of 
intoxication and altered consciousness, Young began his campaign 15 years 
ago, using his training as a litigator to challenge what he calls 
"consensual crimes."

He stressed the fact that young people between the ages of 18-25 have the 
highest risk of prosecution for marijuana possession. This generational 
gap, Young suggests, is due to the mystification, and vilification of pot 
use among professionals and adults like himself.

"There is something about the slow maturity into parenthood which makes 
people change their political views in very uninformed ways," he asserted.

Mingling at the event were supporters such as U of T alumni Domenic Kramer 
(founder of the Toronto Hemp Company on Yonge Street), a team of students 
from Ryerson making a documentary, and a spliff or two out in the open. 
Rahimi acknowledged this "civil disobedience" right away, but said that 
support for the event was solid. Given the easy-going atmosphere and nature 
of the event, he said he couldn't see how anyone could take issue over a 
student-organized awareness day.

U of T student and Ontario Cannabis Activist Network member Mike McGown's 
own experience as a supporter, however, has been quite the opposite.

McGown was arrested for carrying a sign at a rally of a similar nature at 
Queen's Park recently for breach of peace, bearing the words: "Weed My 
Lips-Legalize it."

Not only was he arrested, but he was also injured during his arrest after 
being thrown onto his face after positioning his sign next to the statue of 
King Edward at the centre of the park. He was further injured, he said, 
while being put into a police vehicle, and again when he was put into a 
holding cell for four hours.

The Day of Action blended pot enthusiasm with education and awareness. On 
the list of issues was the criminalization of medical marijuana, but 
participants said they came away informed about many different aspects of 
marijuana for all kinds of users and supporters.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart