A Petaluma man facing federal charges that his medical marijuana club is a front for drug dealing said Wednesday he will seek political asylum in Canada if the United States tries to extradite him. Speaking from Vancouver, British Columbia, Kenneth E. Hayes characterized prosecution of medical marijuana activists as "vindictive" and, invoking Benjamin Franklin, said: "Wherever liberty dwells, there be my country." Hayes, who was acquitted last year in a similar case in Sonoma County, called the federal charges "crazy." He also faces drug-related charges in Canada. [continues 480 words]
PETALUMA A Petaluma man facing federal charges that his medical marijuana club is a front for drug dealing said Wednesday he will seek political asylum in Canada if the United States tries to extradite him. Speaking from Vancouver, British Columbia, Kenneth E. Hayes characterized prosecution of medical marijuana activists as "vindictive" and, invoking Benjamin Franklin, said: "Wherever liberty dwells, there be my country." Hayes, who was acquitted last year in a similar case in Sonoma County, called the federal charges "crazy." [continues 488 words]
from the Media Awareness Project WEEKLY: The DrugSense Weekly, the originial drug policy weekly on the 'net, has the largest email and web following of any single item we provide. Distributed late Fridays, you can always check the current issue at http://www.drugsense.org/current.htm or sign up to receive it by email in text or HTML web page format at http://www.drugsense.org/news.htm BY EMAIL: Our most popular email service is called the DrugNews Digest (DND). Each digest contains an average of about ten news items - but only the first paragraph or two of the item along with a link to the entire article. Here is an example (spaces not in the DND's have been added so that this example, as archived, will appear as close to correct as possible): [continues 2376 words]
The chronically ill who find marijuana gives them relief from their symptoms will be able to eat, drink or smoke their medicine in two new operations opened in the area. The Sunshine Coast Compassion Club opened about a week ago in this coastal community and earlier this week, the Marijuana Teahouse opened on Vancouver's gritty downtown eastside. The Gibsons club is operated by Lisa Kirkman, a former B.C. Marijuana Party candidate in the last provincial election, and Renee Boje, a U.S. fugitive currently appealing an extradition order for a 1997 medicinal marijuana bust in California. [continues 326 words]
Hash, Bud, Brownies And Tinctures On Offer Two Sunshine Coast marijuana advocates opened the doors to a storefront operation in downtown Gibsons last week where they plan to sell pot to people who are using it for medicinal purposes. Sunshine Coast "kind," hash and marijuana laced cookies, brownies, tinctures and oils are among the items that will be offered for sale at the Sunshine Coast Compassion Club's new headquarters. Lisa Kirkman, who has previously run as a candidate for the Marijuana Party, and Renee Boje, who is fighting extradition to the U.S. on marijuana cultivation charges, opened their "dispensary" Oct. 22 in a commercially zoned house opposite the yacht club. [continues 777 words]
On June 14, 2000, Peter McWilliams had just drawn a bath at his home in the Hollywood Hills when he suddenly collapsed. At the time of his death, the flamboyant and controversial 50-year-old best-selling author, publisher, and medical-marijuana activist, whose supporters crossed the political spectrum from William F. Buckley on the right to Paul Krassner on the left, was awaiting sentencing on 1998 federal charges the he'd financed several large-scale marijuana grows. An AIDS patient and cancer survivor, he had been instructed by the judge who presided over his case, Federal District Court Judge George H. King, that if he smoked the marijuana that kept him from vomiting the multiple medications he needed to stay alive, he would forfeit his bond, and the homes that his mother and brother had put up for collateral would be seized. [continues 5205 words]
reneeboje Hello all and thank you for having me this evening! I am excited to be a part of this important forum! I have been given an amazing opportunity to help shape the relationship between Canada and the United States in relation to victims of the War on Drugs, especially marijuana for medical purposes. I am fighting extradition from Canada to the US because the US Federal authorities want to lock me up in a US Federal Prison for a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life for medical marijuana charges, that I got in California, where medical marijuana is legal. [continues 4001 words]
Renee Boje Tues. July 24, 2001 8 PM Eastern NY Times Drug Policy Forum http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/index-national.html Sun. July 29, 2001 8 PM Eastern Drugsense Chat Room Future guests already scheduled in the series include Al Robison, Sanho Tree, and George McMahon. See http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details [continues 3297 words]
Sunday July 22, 2001 8 PM Eastern -- 5PM Pacific - Drugsense Chat Room: Steve and Michele Kubby http://www.DrugSense.org/chat Future guests already scheduled in the series include Renee Boje and Al Robison. See http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details. TRANSCRIPT OF STEVE AND MICHELE KUBBY'S VISIT TO THE NEW YORK TIMES DRUG POLICY FORUM On Tuesday, July 17, the New York Times Drug Policy forum hosted medical marijuana activists Steve and Michele Kubby. They were instrumental in passing the medical marijuana initiative in California, Prop. 215. His activism on the behalf of medical marijuana patients, including a run for Governor, led directly to law enforcement raiding their home, and nearly causing Steve to die in a county jail. The rest of this amazing story is on their website at www.kubby.com During this forum Michele Kubby announces that she will run for Lt. Governor in 2002. [continues 4275 words]
Tues. July 17, 2001 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific - NY Times Drug Policy Forum: Steve and Michele Kubby Sun. July 22, 2001 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific - Drugsense Chat Room: Steve and Michele Kubby Future guests already scheduled in the series include Al Giordano, Renee Boje, and Al Robison. See http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details. On Tuesday, July 10, the NYTimes.com's Drug Policy forum hosted Al Giordano, publisher of narconews.com. This discussion was part of the speaker series organized by forum participants. This transcript is located on the web at http://www.cultural-baggage.com/giordano.htm [continues 4363 words]
Tues. July 17, 2001 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific - NY Times Drug Policy Forum: Steve and Michele Kubby Sun. July 22, 2001 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific - Drugsense Chat Room: Steve and Michele Kubby Future guests already scheduled in the series include Al Giordano, Renee Boje, and Al Robison. See http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details. On Monday, July 9, the NYTimes.com's Drug Policy forum hosted Keith Stroup, founder of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, NORML. This discussion was part of the speaker series organized by forum participants. [continues 3283 words]
Monday, July 9, 2001 8 p.m. Eastern in the NY Times Drug Policy Forum http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/index-national.html join Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML http://www.norml.org Tuesday, July 10, 2001 8 p.m. Eastern in the NY Times Drug Policy Forum http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/index-national.html join Al Giordano, publisher of the Narco News Bulletin, http://www.narconews.com/ ~~~ Future guests already scheduled in the series include Al Giordano, Steve & Michele Kubby, Renee Boje, and Al Robison. See http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details. [continues 2463 words]
Monday, July 2, 2001 8 p.m. Eastern in the NY Times Drug Policy Forum http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/index-national.html join Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML http://www.norml.org Keith will follow up with a chat in the DrugSense Chat Room on Sunday, July 8, 2001 at 8 p.m. Eastern ~~~~~ Future guests already scheduled in the series include Al Giordano, Steve & Michele Kubby, Renee Boje, and Al Robison. See http://www.cultural-baggage.com/schedule.htm for details. [continues 2520 words]
Sunday, July 1, 2001 8 p.m. Eastern - 5 p.m Pacific: Kevin Zeese of Common Sense for Drug Policy http://www.csdp.org/ joins us for his second chat in the DrugSense chat room http://www.drugsense.org/chat/ The transcript of his first chat is at http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1112/a09.html Monday, July 2, 2001 8 p.m. Eastern in the NY Times Drug Policy Forum join Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML http://www.norml.org Keith will follow up with a chat in the DrugSense Chat Room on Sunday, July 8, 2001 at 8 p.m. Eastern [continues 3609 words]
Judge Gray: lets start with a opening statement Dean_Becker: Welcome to our DrugSense Chat with Judge Jim Gray! We expect quite a few Judge Gray: Good evening. My name is Judge James P. Gray and I am looking forward to having a discussion with you about drug policy which in my view is the most critical issue facing our country today. Judge Gray: Based upon my background as a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, a criminal defense attorney in Navy JAG and as a trial judge in Orange County California since 1983. I believe we must change away from our laws of Drug Prohibition and develop a policy based upon truthful drug education, drug treatment, depofitization of these often dangerous drugs, and, most importantly, individual responsibility. [continues 4659 words]
A Medical Marijuana Advocate & Grower Flees Prosecution In The US For Freedom In Canada On July 29th, 1997, while leaving the home of her friend Todd McCormick, Renee Boje was stopped by two police officers. Handcuffed and read her rights, she was brought to a local fire station where 60 agents of the DEA, the IRS's criminal investigative unit, and the LA County Sheriff's Department waited in riot gear to raid her friend's Bel Air home. Renee had become the first arrest in the federal government's operation against a man that the local press would later dub "the Pot Prince of Bel Air. [continues 2544 words]
Editor: On March 14, I responded to RCMP Sgt Ed Hill's open invitation in his March 4 letter to the editor, and attended the Police-Community Consultative Group meeting held at City Hall. I went because I wanted to discuss ongoing acts of criminal violence by certain well-known members of the community, and the apparent lack of police response. Although Sgt Hill portrayed the Group as eager to accept public input, the meetings are held at 8am on weekdays, hardly an easy time for most people to attend. [continues 354 words]
Party Leader Charged After Mountie Gets Piece Of Pie In Face Marijuana Party leader Marc-Boris St-Maurice was charged with assaulting an RCMP officer with a pie. Marc-Boris St-Maurice, the leader of Canada's Marijuana Party, was charged with assaulting a police officer yesterday over a pie-throwing incident during a day-long marijuana decriminalization rally on Parliament Hill. The pie, however, was one that Mr. St-Maurice threw at himself. The 31-year-old Montrealer was trying to put a pie in the face of a Parliament Hill statue when he was confronted by three RCMP officers. [continues 490 words]
I sympathize with Renee Boje who has fled to Canada to escape the heavy-handed U.S. justice system (Fugitive from U.S. fears harsh justice over "medical marijuana" charge, Oct 11). If I were her, however, I would not hold my breath for our justice system to treat her any more humanely by upholding her claim to refugee status. When it comes to standing up to the U.S.'s zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs, Canada has no guts. In June, Allen Richardson, a long-time resident of West Vancouver, was extradited to the U.S. to complete a prison term from which he escaped in 1971. The original sentence - four years hard-time for simple possession of $20 of LSD - - was outlandish. The fact that Mr. Richardson has lived an exemplary life in Canada for nearly 30 years offered him no protection. Ms. Boje, whose record is perhaps less stellar, is unlikely to get better treatment. [continues 98 words]
In their zealous pursuit of justice, American officials seem content to disregard the individual rights of their own citizens. One would hope that officials would honour their own law, California's Proposition 215, the Compassion Care Act that made it legal for seriously ill persons to purchase and use marijuana if recommended by a doctor. The law was voted upon by the same public who put these people in office. Does the United States not have compassion for the terminally ill? I can think of no greater indignity than placing a terminally ill man in solitary confinement. What benefit does this serve? None. [continues 920 words]
