Pubdate: Tue, 28 Mar 2017
Source: Metro (Winnipeg, CN MB)
Copyright: 2017 Free Daily News Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/winnipeg
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5322
Author: Jessica Botelho-Urbanski
Page: 4

CANNABIS ADVOCATE ARRESTED AT LOUNGE

As news leaked Sunday of the federal government's plans to table
legislation legalizing marijuana by next summer, Eddy Barahona was
emerging from a night spent in jail after being arrested and charged
with pot-related offences.

"I don't understand how we can arrest people for practising with
medicine or why we're still putting people in jail for something
that's going to be legalized in a matter of time," he said in an
interview Monday.

Barahona was rubbing his eyes, which still stung from being
pepper-sprayed over the weekend, during an interview Monday at Vapes
Off Main.

He volunteers at the medical marijuana lounge and resource centre on
St. Mary's Rd., which he said was robbed by four masked men on
Saturday night.

"One of them had a machete and put it to my face after he pepper
sprayed me," Barahona said.

After he punched one of the robbers and ran out the back door,
Barahona said he called police.

When they arrived minutes later, Barahona said the tables were turned
- - him and a friend were arrested for having 10 marijuana plants and 10
vials of cannabidiol oils on site. The robbers got away unscathed.

Barahona said he and his friend spent Saturday night in jail and were
released Sunday.

Barahona also said the products police found belonged to cancer
patients, who use them on site, and neither the plants, nor the oils
are sold for profit.

A police spokesperson confirmed Monday the lounge location at 958 St.
Mary's Rd. "has been added to our marijuana grow-op list" as of
Sunday. She said she couldn't elaborate on the alleged robbery and
what items were seized at Vapes Off Main.

Canadian cannabis advocate Steven Stairs said the incident speaks to a
public need to pressure police to "stop wasting our taxpayer dollars
on arresting people who are just trying to help" medical marijuana
patients.

"We need to be able to work somehow in the interim (before marijuana
legalization) to find a way to let these people establish legal
businesses while not getting arrested," Stairs said.

He called the pending pot legalization a great opportunity for
Manitoba to be a leader in a burgeoning industry.

"The Conservative government is known for being about less
regulations, less taxes ... that's all great for the cannabis
industry," Stairs said, adding there should be regulatory frameworks
in place for large-scale producers and small "mom and pop shops"
wanting to sell pot.

Canadian marijuana stocks got a boost Monday following reports that
the federal government will introduce a bill next month that aims to
legalize pot by July 1, 2018.

Barahona reopened Vapes Off Main on Monday, too, affirming the lounge
is "not intimidated or scared" to stay open.

- - With files from Canadian Press
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MAP posted-by: Matt