Pubdate: Fri, 12 Nov 2004
Source: Victoria News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 Victoria News
Contact:  http://www.vicnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1267
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

NATION OF POT USERS TO CELEBRATE MONDAY

Never mind the name. Marijuana will be the order of the day for area 
residents Nov. 15.

International Medical Marijuana Day, being celebrated for a seventh year in 
the City of Victoria, is a creation of Cannabis Buyer's Club co-founder Ted 
Smith of Victoria. He is an oft-criminally charged advocate for better 
access to marijuana within Canada for chronically ill patients, as well as 
the legalization of pot in general.

In previous court decisions, including one of Smith's, judges threw cases 
out because it could not be proven Health Canada was adhering to its own 
pledge to supply marijuana to people who qualified for it. Since the 
government's grower in Flin Flon, Man. has started sending out its supply, 
the rules have changed, said Smith.

"Now we have to prove we're better than they are," he said, referring to 
the quality issues. "Before it was easy. They weren't doing anything." 
Philippe Lucas of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society has a different 
take on the official day.

"Every day is Medical Marijuana Day, because every day there are Canadians 
who have need for this medicine, who can't access it through legal means," 
he said.

The day's events include the second annual art auction in the public 
meeting room at the downtown public library at 2 p.m., and a one-hour 
slideshow presentation about the history of the Cannabis Buyer's Club from 
3-4 p.m.
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