Pubdate: Wed, 05 Feb 2014
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2014 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Kevin Rollason

HEAD SHOPS BEING HARASSED, BIZ OWNER SAYS

A local head shop owner says he believes Winnipeg police have 
launched a new way of making businesses like his go up in smoke - 
financially starve them out of business.

Jeremy Loewen, owner of the shuttered Hemp Haven at 496 Larsen Ave. 
in Elmwood, said Tuesday that's what's happening to him and fellow 
head shop owners after he was arrested by police last week and had 
numerous items seized after selling a water pipe to "a 40-year-old couple."

Loewen said he was charged with selling an instrument for drug use 
and possession of property obtained by crime.

"When I said 'What am I not allowed to sell,' they (police) said 
nothing," he said.

"They're going to all the (head) stores and threatening they have to 
close within 30 days or we'll do the same to you what we did to Hemp 
Haven and The Joint."

Loewen said police went to The Joint about three weeks ago. That 
business's three locations - the Marion Street location has since 
closed for business reasons - were also raided last year with arrests 
being made, but the matter is still winding through the courts.

Nobody would comment at The Joint about what happened during the 
latest visit by police, but the business, which still has outlets on 
Pembina Highway and St. Mary's Road, remains open.

Loewen said while he's now closed, he has also had to go to the 
expense of hiring a lawyer to fight the charges.

"I don't know what I'll do. I have bills still coming in," he said. 
"I think this is just a tactic to put me out of business."

Winnipeg police said they could not comment until after they had 
spoken with the investigating officer today.

Lawyer Neil Kravetsky, who is representing Loewen and some other 
shops, is calling the actions taken by police "very unfair and 
hassling these people."

"These businesses have been going on, some for over 20 years... and 
there are now over 100,000 people in Canada with legal medical 
marijuana licences who get the instruments they need to smoke through 
businesses like this. "So why are police hassling them?" Kravetsky 
said each of the shops has signs saying they do not sell the items 
for illegal drug use, the individual items have the same warning 
label, and the shops do not sell to anyone under the age of 18.

"It's like charging a pharmacist for selling syringes to somebody who 
later uses it for heroin," the lawyer said.

"It is bullying and interfering with a legitimate business in my view."

Loewen said after he was arrested and taken to the East District 
police station at 1750 Dugald Rd., he was charged again, this time 
with disturbing the peace, for an incident while he was being released.

"The police called me a cab," Loewen said. "I said I didn't have 
enough money to go anywhere because my store was locked and the keys 
were inside with my wallet and when I called nobody was home. (The 
officer) said 'too bad'. Under my breath I said 'this is bull---'... 
he grabbed me, threw me back inside and charged me."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom