Marijuana may be on the road to decriminalization, but it is still illegal. This message comes from Cochrane RCMP as talk of the new legislation fuels debate. "The commissioner of the RCMP, (Giuliano) Zaccardelli, has come out in support of decriminalization of marijuana," said Cochrane RCMP Const. Patty Neely. "But we just want to make sure the people in Cochrane are aware that decriminalization does not mean legalization. It is still an offence to be in possession of marijuana, even in small amounts." [continues 1151 words]
Grant Krieger is standing outside in yesterday's glorious sunshine awaiting the inevitable media horde to interview him. And it may not look like it to a casual observer, but that simple act of standing is nothing short of a miracle. Before Grant, 48, was introduced to marijuana in 1994, he spent all day every day sitting in his wheelchair trapped inside his frail body unable to stand at all. "Without marijuana, I'd be in a wheelchair today, living with excruciating pain or lying immovable in a bed in a nursing home or I'd be dead," says Calgary's best known cannabis crusader, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, a chronic, debilitating and painful disease of the central nervous system that eventually leads to paralysis. [continues 536 words]
Local RCMP Avoid Arrests in Smaller Cases A poll showing increasing tolerance among Canadians for liberalized marijuana laws reflects the approach police are forced to take with the drug, said a Calgary Mountie. Local RCMP no longer pursue charges against those caught with small amounts of cannabis, which is consistent with a Sun-commissioned poll indicating significant support for decriminalization and some legalization, said Staff Sgt. Birnie Smith. "The numbers don't surprise me -- I certainly think people want to see decriminalization but not legalization," said Smith, head of the Calgary RCMP drug unit. [continues 255 words]
To the U.S.-based pro-marijuana advocates who have inundated us with letters of late: We've enjoyed reading your thoughts on the matter of legalizing marijuana. Understand that, as a newspaper, it is our job to report such information as that which has been contained within the pages of the Airdrie Echo concerning some large-scale marijuana growing operation busts in the city as of late. On the other hand, we have also published articles on the plight of Grant Krieger, who lived in Airdrie for a period of time and has been a long-time advocate of the legalizing of pot. We have little doubt that you are aware of Grant and his plight. [continues 108 words]
Pot crusader Grant Krieger's new trial on a charge of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking has been delayed for at least two more months. On Wednesday, Krieger's case was set over until the April 9 arraignments at Alberta Court of Queen's Bench. Lawyers are waiting for the Supreme Court of Canada to decide whether it will hear a Crown appeal of Krieger's acquittal on a charge of cultivation of the drug he uses for medical purposes. In December, the Alberta Court of Appeal upheld the original ruling of two years ago, in which a judge said it was unconstitutional for the federal government to prevent Krieger from being able to obtain marijuana to alleviate pain caused by his multiple sclerosis. [end]
An Alberta medicinal marijuana vendor is hoping to open a branch of his business in Regina in the next month. Grant Krieger suffers from progressive multiple sclerosis and has been an advocate of using marijuana for pain relief for years. He and his wife, Marie, have run the Krieger Foundation in Calgary for two years. The foundation provides marijuana, and other alternative treatment methods, for purchase by people with proven medical conditions. "We're talking to a client right now who has expressed an interest in helping us set up (in Regina) because there's nothing there," said Krieger, a former Saskatchewan resident. "Hopefully within about the next month, we're going to be coming down to open up a branch there." [continues 303 words]
Court rulings have chipped away at federal restrictions Minor physical conditions from writer's cramp to colour blindness are enough to qualify now for home delivery of medical marijuana -- with no doctor's prescription needed. A year and a half ago, the federal government passed regulations saying medical marijuana would be available only to people with a serious illness, and only with a physician's permission. Such legal restrictions appear to have wilted. Three weeks ago, an Ontario judge declared them unconstitutional. [continues 520 words]
Criminalizing Pot Smokers Has Been A Costly And Hypocritical Waste It's been 18 years and a bit since I stopped smoking dope. I quit on Oct. 21, 1984, the day I flushed hundreds of dollars of very high quality marijuana and cocaine down the toilet and turned my life over to Jesus Christ. But that's another story. Prior to that life-transforming day, drugs were a large part of my life. Indeed, drugs were a daily part of my life. [continues 862 words]
Cops Cool To Committee's Recommendation On Marijuana Decriminalizing pot would not stall organized crime or free up police resources, said the city's police drug unit yesterday. The comments came after a Parliamentary committee recommended decriminalizing the possession and cultivation of 30 grams of marijuana or less. The decriminalization of cannabis will free up police resources and weaken organized crime's grip on the drug, said the committee. Not so, said Calgary drug unit Det. Robert Atkinson. Because possession is currently a summary conviction, someone caught with 30 grams or less of cannabis will not do time and will not be photographed or fingerprinted, he said. [continues 247 words]
Pot crusader Grant Kreiger's licence to grow won't be chopped down by Alberta's top court. A three-member Alberta Court of Appeal panel yesterday upheld Kreiger's acquittal on a charge of cultivating a narcotic. The appeal judges agreed with a lower-court ruling that the federal government's exemption to pot possession was "an absurdity because there was no legal source of marijuana." But the high court overturned Kreiger's acquittal on a charge of possession of the drug for the purpose of trafficking. [continues 104 words]
"There are not enough jails, not enough policemen, not enough courts to enforce a law not supported by the people." -- Hubert H. Humphrey The U.S. and, to a lesser extent, Canada, should have listened to Humphrey. Since the time that Humphrey served under U.S. president Lyndon Johnson (1965-69) until now, jails filled to bulging with people who smoke a relatively benign plant are testament to the truth of his words. [continues 893 words]
Health Groups, Police Jeer Panel's Report A Senate committee has unanimously called for the legalization of marijuana in Canada, with government-licensed production and sale of the drug to any Canadian over the age of 16. However, the recommendations lit a fire Wednesday under the policing and health communities in Alberta, which warned legalizing pot would have disastrous results on society. Conservative Senator Pierre-Claude Nolin, chairman of the special committee, said more harm than good is being done by making marijuana possession a criminal offence. [continues 798 words]
Canada's Senate Is Going To Pot. But a Senate committee's recommendation for legalizing marijuana is a tough sell, even to those pushing for laxer laws on dope-smoking. The Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, in a report released yesterday, suggests Canada should legalize marijuana for adults. Claiming current prohibition a failure, it suggests replacing it with a regulated system similar to that used for booze. "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue," said committee chair Senator Pierre Claude Nolin. [continues 572 words]
Police Seize Plants During Investigation Of Home Invasion The founder of the city's first club for medicinal marijuana use said he was the victim of a home invasion this week -- but it was the police who walked away with most of his valuables. Chris Buors, 44, said three crowbar-wielding masked men broke into his north-end home early yesterday, but took only an inexpensive stereo system. Buors wasn't hurt in the incident. However, he said that after the police finished investigating the crime, he was charged with cultivation and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. [continues 415 words]
The founder of Winnipeg's first club for medicinal marijuana use said he was the victim of a home invasion this week -- but it was the police who walked away with most of his valuables. Chris Buors, 44, said three masked men with crowbars broke into his north end home early Thursday morning, but took only an inexpensive stereo system. Buors wasn't hurt in the incident. However, he said that after the police finished investigating the crime, he was charged with cultivation and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. [continues 360 words]
Legal Wrangling Takes Its Toll On Medicinal Marijuana Crusader Did you ever wake up to find -- a day that broke up your mind, destroyed your notion of circular time ... - -- The Rolling Stones, Sway, 1971 Canada's best-known medicinal marijuana crusader isn't returning phone calls. In fact, he hardly answers the phone at all, according to his wife, Marie. "He's going through a nervous breakdown," says Marie. The continued pressure and harassment from legal authorities, and upheaval within the medical dope community has taken its toll on Grant Krieger. [continues 604 words]
I applaud Great Britain's recent move to liberalize its marijuana laws. It's about time someone took action to show the world the benefits from this benign herb far outweigh any dangers. It's one thing for countries such as the Netherlands to go legal, but for a major power to do so offers hope for mankind. That society misunderstands and is apprehensive of marijuana and the culture it has already sprouted is understandable, given the proximity to our neighbours to the south and their demonization of the herb. [continues 165 words]
Bravo to Licia Corbella for "Pot ruling not high on activist's wish list," July 18. The fact Grant Krieger faces criminal charges for providing medicine to sick and dying patients is deplorable. Although I am glad Canada continues to take strides toward a saner cannabis policy, I fully agree the process should be moving quicker. While the politicians hem and haw over the details, tens of thousands of Canadians are suffering. Adam Wiggins (The feds should get off the pot.) [end]
You would think that Calgary's best-known cannabis crusader, Grant Krieger, would be thrilled about recent rumblings by the feds about decriminalizing marijuana. But no. Krieger is, in fact, furious. He talks to me as he drives calmly down Hwy. 22X running an errand for his wife, Marie. The married couple are flat broke as a result of all of the legal hassles and police raids he's been through -- and all of the sick people, like himself, he feels compelled to help. [continues 602 words]
TO Grant Krieger and all you pot smokers who claim marijuana helps kill pain. It didn't help my brother. It only led to his death at 52 years old. I agree with Ted Sali (Letters, June 16) 100%. Jo Hepburn (Our condolences for your loss.) [end]