Pubdate: Thu, 24 Apr 2014
Source: Fort Saskatchewan Record, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.fortsaskatchewanrecord.com/letters
Website: http://www.fortsaskatchewanrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/824
Page: 3
Author: Lindsay Morey

PROTESTORS BLUNT ABOUT LEGALIZATION

A lot of coughing, a lot of smoke and a lot of tokes.

More than 30 people were in attendance for Fort Saskatchewan's first 
pro-pot protest on the afternoon of April 20.

The Erb 4 Herb 420 protest, put on by Erb4Herb and Deviant Fibres, 
was considered a great success by protestors. A minute of silence was 
held at 4:19 for the "victims of prohibition and drug war."

Protestor Corey McCann said pro-pot events are important to raise 
awareness to anyone who does not know about the medicinal and 
recreational properties, as well as the value cannabis has in the 
hemp industries.

"I'm very happy with today's turnout," McCann said.

"It shows how many people want to make a difference and who has the 
'you-know-what' to stand out here. That's what we need - people like this."

He said research has found people of varying ages can benefit from 
using marijuana.

One of those people is Fort resident Dustin Pinnell. He suffers from 
Crohn's disease and said marijuana helps him deal with general 
discomfort and helps him sleep.

He said he'd like to see the drug legalized at the federal level.

"I've been on all sorts of medication to keep the symptoms away, and 
they work, but I find with marijuana, like, I'm not smoking it to get 
crazy or do anything stupid - I use it for pain relief," Pinnell said.

"It allows me to eat anything I can without having the pain and 
general sickness of my Crohn's."

Pinnell added legalizing pot would increase tax dollars, relating how 
successful retail sales have become in Colorado following the state's 
recent pot legalization.

"It still has the negative reputation for no real reason," he said.

He added if marijuana was legalized, it would have to have the same 
restrictions as alcohol, such as users having to be 18 years old, not 
to smoke in public and not to smoke and drive.

Pinnell continued, saying if the drug became legal, it would make 
safer access, with suppliers no longer cutting it with other 
hallucinogens or other drugs.

"Treat it like alcohol and tax it the same way," he said.

"I don't understand in our society that it's totally OK to get 
completely drunk. It boggles my mind that there's such a negative 
connotation with marijuana. I think it solves a lot of problems."

McCann added having 420 protests like this in the Fort will make 
residents aware the issue affects all Canadians, both city-dwellers 
and small-town people.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom