Pubdate: Sun, 08 May 2016
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Page: 5
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.torontosun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Jenny Yuen

THEY HAVE BURNING DESIRE FOR POT

Weed the North. Queen's Park turned into a big puff of smoke Saturday
afternoon as some 20,000 marijuana activists gathered near the King
Edward VII statue, before rallying and walking in the 18th annual
Global Marijuana March through the downtown core, spliffs in hand.
While the federal Liberals made a campaign pledge to legalize
marijuana, many of the parade-goers felt like the federal government
was dragging its feet. "Thousands of people are still facing criminal
charges," said event founder Neev, who refused to give his last name.
"It should be legalized, it should be cheaper. It's so expensive
because it's not legal yet. I appreciate the Liberals wanting to do it
right, but the rollout is so slow."

The Toronto event was one of the 100 marijuana parades scheduled in
cities around the world.

The crowd, some dressed in costumes - a man was wearing a Superman
bong mascot outfit - peacefully made their way across Bloor St. W.,
down Yonge St. before heading west on Wellesley St. back toward
Queen's Park, leaving behind them a cloud of smoke.

"Free the weed!" some chanted.

Burlington resident Alison Myrden, 52, joined the march in her
wheelchair.

She said smoking medicinal marijuana has allowed her to live with less
pain while coping with progressive multiple sclerosis - an autoimmune
disease of the central nervous system.

"It was the world's worst pain in my face and head, 24 hours a day,"
she said. "I used to take 32 pills a day, 2,000 mg of morphine a day,
heroin, then cocaine. It was 1990 when my doctor recommended medical
cannabis. Now, I'm still going strong, but I've got a violent pain in
my ear right now because I can't afford a source." 
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