Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jun 2012
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun
Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Ian Mulgrew

JAIL BEHIND HIM, POT PIONEER BACK IN BUSINESS

Don Briere is operating a medical marijuana dispensary, not far from
his old operation, to serve 'patients' with a variety of afflictions

Don Briere sat on the toker's throne, basking in the neon glow of an
old Da Kine sign, insisting it was a waste of tax money to imprison
him.

Now 61 and sporting a pacemaker, the irrepressible cannabis crusader -
who gained infamy in 1999 as the mastermind of the most humungous
grow-op network police had then uncovered, and even greater notoriety
in 2004 while on parole by opening the infamous Da Kine cafe - is back
peddling pot.

"The guys involved here are scared and I don't blame them," he says of
his silent partners in the new operation at 2137 Commercial Dr.

They fear what happened to Da Kine in 2004 when police helicopters
hovered over the east side, traffic was rerouted and
black-balaclava-clad SWAT officers raided what had been a little too
much Amsterdam on the Pacific.

Briere's attempt to ignore the drug laws and sell cannabis products
over the counter attracted international attention for six months but
was abruptly and firmly shuttered by Vancouver police.

"Look," he says, holding out an evidence photograph from his trial
showing a cash-register receipt from a day's take - $27,934. "You
can't tell me this stuff isn't popular," Briere cracks.

No kidding - he was earning so much money from his underground empire,
the illegal profits kept the lumber town of Burns Lake afloat via his
quasi-bank that offered unsecured loans.

Records indicated more than $40 million went through Briere's laundry
for illicit cash before police shut it down.

Four months ago, under the rubric of the Vancouver Pain Management
Society, he opened a medical marijuana dispensary and smoking lounge
that seats about 50 people. He says so far about 180 "patients" use
the facility.

Like a score of similar operations across the city, Briere is flouting
the law.

Compassion clubs have been lobbying for a regulatory regime
legitimizing their services, but so far Health Canada refuses to
recognize them.

While Vancouver police have turned a blind eye to drug trafficking to
the sick, the RCMP has raided clubs across B.C.

"We didn't need a business licence as a non-profit society," Briere
maintains.

If you have a federal government exemption card to use marijuana, or
have a qualifying affliction, you can buy medicine.

"Chronic pain, arthritis, glaucoma, insomnia, cancer, HIV, muscle
spasms, PMS, Tourette's," Briere says, itemizing the ailments, "the
list goes on and on. People have these illnesses and they can't get
their medication so they come to us. If you had a broken arm and
needed pain relief you would get it immediately, but if you have
severe arthritis and want cannabis, you could be waiting several
months. Why?" He has a plan to open a chain of similar "safe
inhalation sites" with employee-profit-sharing and a money-making ethos.

"London Drugs and Walmart aren't non-profit," Briere
says.

"Cannabis should be regulated like any other business. If you have a
good system set up and in place, ma-and-pa type stores all over the
city, it would be a draw for tourists. We could become a cannabis
destination resort."

"Today's menu" on Monday featured Durban Skunk at $6 a gram, Hawaiian
Haze at $9, or Bubba Kush for $10. Afghan hashish was going for $20 a
gram, domestic Blue Cheese Bubble Hash for $15. Budder (a highly
refined and concentrated form of bud) sold for $70 a gram, or $5 "a
hoot" while you sat on the throne.

There were also six-and 12-packs of cannabis oil for $25 and $40
respectively; baked goods ("And we do mean baked," Briere assures)
cookies, pop-corn and cakes for $8.

"Cooking converts the THC differently and it becomes more of a pain
killer, a pain reliever, and a sleeping aid," Briere explains.

"We also have vaporizers for those who want to smoke, which means you
don't have to inhale the plant carbons, the bleach and chemicals in
certain papers, the glue."

Briere, who has a federal exemption for his severe arthritis, says he
did all the paperwork to register the society and rent the premises,
several blocks south of the old Da Kine location at 1018 Commercial.

"We've had really positive community reaction," he adds. "People have
come in and said is this the same as Da Kine? We're so proud, we're so
glad! People are educated and they know this is far less dangerous
than alcohol or tobacco."

Briere figures he has lost 12 years of his life - "either on bail, on
trial or in prison" - and a son, who died of an overdose, to the Drug
War.

"Regulation, not the criminal prohibition, is the answer," he
says.

"I'm not educating the police, the prosecutors, the lawyers or the
judges. They all know the criminal prohibition is wrong. Paycheques,
overtime and pensions are the only reason they continue to support the
policy."

Briere believes that in the face of all the evidence the Drug War has
failed, those who continue to wage it should be charged with misusing
public funds.

"Look at the organization, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition," he
says of the handful of Vancouver mayors and former B.C.
attorneys-general.

"They are all trying to stop the drug war and they know why. The
Washing-ton state prosecutor who jailed Marc Emery is on the
bandwagon. He's behind the initiative there to legalize marijuana. At
the moment, the Stupidity War, which is what I call it, is a job
creation program for police, prison guards and the legal community."

Briere, who now lives in Abbotsford and also promotes a line of
environmental homes [ see www.greencretedomes.com ], shakes his shaggy
blond head incredulously.

"Think about the money they wasted prosecuting me or keeping me in
prison. After three years [of proceedings], I received two-and-a-half
years in prison. Because I'm non-violent and a nice guy I did
one-third of my time ... . It was a complete waste of taxpayers' dollars."

(YouTube has a six part video documenting Da Kine at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3vO-YxzKIg )
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MAP posted-by: Matt