Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jan 2014
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Section: Front page
Copyright: 2014 Metro Canada
Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/letters
Website: http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Kate Webb

HIGH AND DRY - AND IN TROUBLE

Hempology 101. Club Riles UBC Student Admin With Alleged On-Campus
Cannabis Use

Ain't no party like a UBC vapour party - because that's the kind of
party that can get you expelled.

Student administrators at the University of British Columbia are
investigating the campus' Hempology 101 club for holding an indoor
4:20 meeting last week enticing people to "stay dry and get high" in
the Student Union Building (SUB).

Club treasurer Corbin Manson did not respond to repeated interview
requests from Metro, but after he spoke to the UBC student newspaper
the club posted a statement on its website calling the party "wildly
successful."

"I want to set the record straight: there is no conclusive evidence
that Hempology 101 has broken any laws," wrote one of the executives
(it is unclear which one).

"The accusations stem from our alleged cannabis use during our
meeting. These allegations are designed to discredit our club and
marginalize our members; these allegations are unfounded.

"The (Alma Mater Society) would love to paint us as nothing more than
rowdy, law-breaking drug-abusers because this would make us easy to
punish and ignore."

The student paper, The Ubyssey, reported that 25 people attended the
meeting and a towel was placed under the door to keep the vapour in.

B.C. Marijuana Party spokeswoman Jodie Emery said that it is possible
the club's members weren't breaking any laws if those who used the
vapourizer had licenses to use medical marijuana.

But if they didn't, vapourizing in the SUB would constitute
non-academic misconduct. The Alma Mater Society (AMS) refused repeated
interview requests from Metro, but council president Caroline Wong
released a one-line statement.

"As per our policies, any illegal behaviour is grounds for expulsion,"
she wrote. "We will be investigating this claim thoroughly."

The club said on its website it is worried about future meetings
getting crashed by undercover police, but campus RCMP spokesman Sgt.
Drew Grainger said the club is not currently on their radar.

"I can tell you we're not actively involved in this at all," he said.
"Unless we are given specific information about a crime taking place,
we'll of course look at that, but we've had no reports to indicate
that."

[sidebar]

What is a vapourizer?

A vapourizer is a device used to vapourize the active ingredients of a
plant or herb, typically marijuana or tobacco, without burning it. In
the case of marijuana, the active ingredient, THC, begins to vapourize
at temperatures above 126 C and is collected in a tube or bag and inhaled.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D