Credibility is everything in a trial and a B.C. Supreme Court justice has asked lawyers to consider the idea that it boils down only to what is said and how. Forget about the rolling eyes, the facial tics or the sweaty brow. "I've done a lot of assessing of witnesses in my day," Justice Marvyn Koenigsberg said, "most of it comes from listening to an exchange." The veteran jurist, who also teaches law students and professionals how to assess witnesses, said that flinches or visual information can often be misleading if not accompanied by something that's said. [continues 1006 words]
The death of B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Edwards has jeopardized a lengthy and costly criminal trial involving an important constitutional challenge of the marijuana law. In most criminal cases, when a judge is unable to follow through to judgment, a mistrial is declared. In this case, a rare hearing has been scheduled in Vancouver tomorrow to see if there is a way to save the huge expense incurred and the evidence already presented. "We don't want to see the incredible effort by the chronically ill patients who have supported and testified in this case lost," defence lawyer Kirk Tousaw said yesterday. [continues 257 words]
Criminal Drug-Trafficking Trial Involves Important Constitutional Challenge The death of B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Edwards has jeopardized a lengthy and costly Victoria criminal trial involving an important constitutional challenge of the marijuana law. In most criminal cases, when a judge is unable to follow through to judgment a mistrial is declared and everyone begins again. There is too much at stake here, so on Friday a rare hearing has been scheduled in Vancouver to see if there is a way to save the huge expense incurred and the evidence already presented. [continues 841 words]
By Froma Harrop And so Barack Obama tells high school kids in New Hampshire that he "made some bad decisions" at their age. He "experimented" with pot and cocaine. This is old news -- but even if it were new news, it would be ho-hum in today's politics. http://drugsense.org/url/25hYzkvg Cultural Baggage Radio Show 11/21/07 - Dr. David Bearman speaks to Wisconsin Medical School Audio: http://drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/FDBCB_112107.mp3 [continues 373 words]
Cultural Baggage Radio Show 11/07/07 - Bruce Mirken, Marijuana Policy Project, Debate: DEA's Dr. David Murray & Dr. Ethan Nadelmann of Drug Policy Alliance Audio: http://drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/FDBCB_110707.mp3 Century of Lies 11/06/07 Philippe Lucas, Vancouver Island Compassion Society Audio: http://drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/COL_110607.mp3 By Jacob Sullum, November 6, 2007 A Swiss study reported in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine finds that teenagers who smoke just marijuana seem to be better adjusted than teenagers who smoke tobacco as well as pot. [continues 364 words]
Rocky Paul has been using medical marijuana to control pain and other discomforts for the last seven years. The St. Mary's First Nation resident would like to see the rules eased up a bit so that those who need the drug can get it more easily. Paul said as many as 30 pages of documents have to be filled out once a year by patients and their doctors in order to continue to qualify for the licence. "What marijuana does is it helps me through the day," he said. "I smoke maybe a couple of joints a day; I really need it." [continues 532 words]
Re: "Health Canada pot worth every penny," letter, Aug. 23. Brent Zettl, the president of Prairie Plant Systems, claims compassion clubs charge $10 per gram for cannabis, while Health Canada only charges $5 for access to the 12 per cent-THC cannabis produced by his company. First of all, he's just plain wrong. Non-profit, community-based dispensaries like the Vancouver Island Compassion Society carry a wide selection of organically grown cannabis of 15 to 25 per cent THC that ranges from $5 to $10 per gram, as well as even more affordable alternatives to smoking that include baked goods, oils, tinctures, and even cutting-edge oromucosal sprays. [continues 171 words]
(1) U.S., MEXICO IN TALKS TO BOLSTER DRUG FIGHT Pubdate: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 Source: Los Angeles Times (CA) Copyright: 2007 Los Angeles Times Author: Sam Enriquez Amid Plans to Increase Levels of American Aid and Intelligence, Calderon Tries to Balance the Need for Security and Preservation of His Nation's Sovereignty. Mexico and the Bush administration are negotiating plans to greatly increase levels of U.S. aid and intelligence sharing on narcotics trafficking, presenting President Felipe Calderon with a politically challenging balancing act as his nation tries to stem runaway drug violence and assuage fears of a greater U.S. role in Mexican affairs. [continues 7433 words]
Victoria's No. 2 cop testified in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday that neither the Vancouver Island Compassion Society nor its distribution of medical marijuana has ever been the subject of a criminal investigation. Deputy Chief Bill Naughton said the society's Cormorant Street office of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society has not generated any complaints, adding marijuana ranks behind drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin in terms of Victoria police priorities. "The enforcement of federal laws against marijuana takes a back seat," said Naughton, who was subpoenaed by the defence in the trial of Michael Swallow, 41, and Mat Beren, 33. [continues 343 words]
A Canadian senator who has called for the legalization of marijuana took the stand yesterday in the trial arising from a raid on the Vancouver Island Compassion Society's grow operation. Pierre Claude Nolin chaired the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, which unanimously called five years ago for legalization of the drug in Canada. The committee recommended the government license production and sale of marijuana, which would be available to any Canadian citizen over the age of 16. The Tory senator, who has said the drug should be regulated like wine and beer by the government, was called to testify by the defence, which is mounting a constitutional challenge to Canada's medical-marijuana regulations. The Compassion Society is trying to prove that the regulations force people to use the black market, interfering with their charter right to security of person. [continues 220 words]
A woman, diagnosed with HIV and hepatitis C, first turned to marijuana to deal with pain and nausea, court heard yesterday. "I smoked this pipe. It was amazing. It was so amazing. I actually even went to a restaurant half an hour later and had something to eat," testified Michelle Christensen in B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria. Christensen said since that day in 2001, she uses marijuana daily. She likes to eat it in a cookie that she buys from the Vancouver Island Compassion Society and the Victoria Cannabis Buyers' Club. [continues 242 words]
A fibromyalgia sufferer, licensed to use marijuana as medicine, has worked hard to comply with regulations but can't line up a legal, affordable supply, court heard yesterday. Andrea Lindsay testified circumstances, Health Canada red tape or cost always see her go back to compassion clubs and that means she is breaking the law. "I wanted to be part of the program. I wanted to be up-front and legal," said Lindsay, of Saanichton. She was testifying in Victoria in the B.C. Supreme Court trials of Michael Swallow, 41, and Mat Beren, 32, both charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and production of marijuana. [continues 339 words]
Trial in Island Compassion Club Case Told Ottawa Keeps Lid on Pot Suppliers VICTORIA - A Vancouver Island grower of organic marijuana is being inundated with pleas for pot from disease sufferers, but Health Canada says he can supply only one person, a provincial court trial has been told. Eric Nash said he wrote to Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement with a list of 121 people, all approved by Health Canada to use marijuana as medicine and asking him to grow it for them. One of them was a former RCMP officer diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. [continues 335 words]
Court Hears Federal Rules Force Medical Marijuana Users On To Black Market A Vancouver Island grower of organic marijuana is being inundated with pleas for pot from disease sufferers but Health Canada says he can supply only one person, court heard yesterday. Eric Nash said he even wrote a letter to Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement with a list of 121 people, all approved by Health Canada to use marijuana as medicine, and asking him to grow it for them. One of them was a former RCMP officer diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. [continues 343 words]
Re: "Inspectors needed now" (July 27). Kerry Thompson is right, both legal medical cannabis users and their neighbours would benefit greatly if Health Canada hired inspectors to ensure the safety of legal medical cannabis cultivation facilities; however, this may be wishful thinking. The inspectors' job, unfortunately, has nothing to do with safety: The inspectors hired by Health Canada are there to count cannabis plants, period. As has been amply demonstrated throughout the life of this much-maligned federal program, the government's interest and actions are focused on the moral and legal regulation of some of our sickest citizens. The function the inspectors serve is the equivalent of having your drugstore hire a stranger to come in and rifle through your medicine cabinet. [continues 64 words]
Registered Users Refuse To Pay For Government-Grown Cannabis They Say Is Low In Quality And Overpriced VICTORIA -- For all Jason Wilcox cares, Health Canada's debt collectors can follow him to the grave. Mr. Wilcox, a terminally ill medical marijuana user living in Victoria, owes the federal government more than $6,400 for cannabis he purchased through Health Canada's medical marijuana program last winter. But like many who subscribe to the federal program, Mr. Wilcox is neither able nor willing to pay for his government-grown pot. [continues 1373 words]
Activists Call on Auditor General to Investigate 1,500 Per Cent Markup on Government Dope The days of health canada marking up medical marijuana to the tune of 1,500 per cent may be nearing an end. Or are they? Word from NDP health critic MP Libby Davies is that the office of Auditor General Sheila Fraser is "in the early stages of an audit of certain user fees" being charged medical pot users by Health Canada's Medical Marihuana Access Division. [continues 512 words]
Any other terminally ill patient in Canada would have all his prescriptions covered by the Canadian health care system. Jason Wilcox owes so much money for his medication, Health Canada has cut off his supply and threatened to send a collection agency after him. Wilcox, a James Bay resident, is one of about 149 federally approved medical marijuana patients who have either failed to pay or refused to pay for their government grown pot, leaving the government with more than $140,000 in unpaid pot bills. [continues 606 words]
Government threatens medical marijuana patients with collection action for prescription marijuana Any other terminally ill patient in Canada would have all his prescriptions covered by the Canadian health care system. Jason Wilcox owes so much money for his medication, Health Canada has cut off his supply and threatened to send a collection agency after him. Wilcox, a James Bay resident, is one of about 149 federally approved medical marijuana patients who have either failed to pay or refused to pay for their government grown pot, leaving the government with more than $140,000 in unpaid pot bills. [continues 605 words]
Off Their Pot Medical Marijuana Patients Threatened Within Collection Action Any other terminally ill patient in Canada would have all his prescriptions covered by the Canadian health care system. Jason Wilcox owes so much money for his medication, Health Canada has cut off his supply and threatened to send a collection agency after him. Wilcox, a James Bay resident, is one of about 149 federally approved medical marijuana patients who have either failed to pay or refused to pay for their government grown pot, leaving the government with more than $140,000 in unpaid pot bills. [continues 604 words]
Medical Marijuana Patients Threatened By Collection Action Any other terminally ill patient in Canada would have all his prescriptions covered by the Canadian health care system. Jason Wilcox owes so much money for his medication, Health Canada has cut off his supply and threatened to send a collection agency after him. Wilcox, a James Bay resident, is one of about 149 federally approved medical marijuana patients who have either failed to pay or refused to pay for their government grown pot, leaving the government with more than $140,000 in unpaid pot bills. [continues 605 words]
MP, Senator Offer to Help Islander's Medical Marijuana Court Case Philippe Lucas, founder of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society, is flying high. As a supplier of medical marijuana and political activist bent on reforming Canada's pot laws, Lucas has a supportive MP in Vancouver East New Democrat Libby Davies. He has what he called "an interested and engaged judge" in Justice Robert Edwards, now hearing the society's Charter of Rights challenge arising from a raid on the compassion society's grow-operation near Sooke. And he has a Tory Senator, Pierre Claude Nolin, to testify for the society when the trial resumes on June 11. [continues 340 words]
Vancouver Island Compassion Society planning constitutional challenge in defence of pot bust To the prosecution, it's a simple case of production for the purposes of trafficking, involving two local men caught red-handed growing a crop of 900 marijuana plants on an acreage in East Sooke. To Vancouver Island Compassion Society founder Philippe Lucas, it's a constitutional challenge of Canada's medical marijuana laws. Lawyers were in court in Victoria this week arguing that the two men arrested in the May, 2004 raid, Mat Beren and Michael Swallow, were operating a marijuana research and cultivation facility on behalf of the society. [continues 221 words]
To the prosecution, it's a simple case of production for the purposes of trafficking, involving two local men caught red-handed growing a crop of 900 marijuana plants on an acreage in East Sooke. To Vancouver Island Compassion Society founder Philippe Lucas, it's a constitutional challenge of Canada's medical marijuana laws. Lawyers were in court in Victoria this week arguing that the two men arrested in the May 2004 raid, Mat Beren and Michael Swallow, were operating a marijuana research and cultivation facility on behalf of the society. [continues 221 words]
To the prosecution, it's a simple case of production for the purposes of trafficking, involving two local men caught red-handed growing a crop of 900 marijuana plants on an acreage in East Sooke. To Vancouver Island Compassion Society founder Philippe Lucas, it's a constitutional challenge to Canada's medical marijuana laws. Lawyers were in court in Victoria this week arguing that the two men arrested in the May, 2004 raid, Mat Beren and Michael Swallow, were operating a marijuana research and cultivation facility on behalf of the society. [continues 219 words]
A constitutional challenge to Canada's medical marijuana regulations began yesterday, part of the B.C. Supreme Court trial of two Victorians charged after a police raid of a compassion club grow-op. Defence lawyer John Conroy of Abbotsford said outside the courtroom that the constitutional challenge contends government regulations force Canadians onto the black market to buy marijuana. And that interferes with the charter right to life, liberty and security of person, a position the defence says is supported by other court rulings. [continues 389 words]
Busted Growers Aim To Smoke Health Canada Program If Victoria deputy police chief Bill Naughton takes the stand in a drug trial starting this week, he will testify on behalf of two men accused of growing marijuana. While it's strange for a police officer to defend alleged pot growers in court--and it's not yet certain he will appear--the grow-op in question was an unusual one. West Shore RCMP officers arrested Michael Swallow and Mathew Beren during a May, 2004, raid of an East Sooke site that provided high quality cannabis to the Vancouver Island Compassion Society. The VICS, in turn, supplied the cannabis from the site to patients who were using it to treat various ailments. [continues 928 words]
Over the years, Philippe Lucas has proven himself an effective advocate for reforming Canada's drug laws. It turns out he's also a pretty good student. Lucas was one of three University of Victoria students who received an award for $2,500 last month for "remarkable volunteer contributions to the university and/or Greater Victoria community while maintaining at least a B average." A master's student in the study for policy and practice, Lucas is vice-chair of the City of Victoria's downtown advisory committee, he sits on the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, and works closely with the Vancouver Island Compassion Society as well as the committee to end homelessness in Victoria. [continues 60 words]
Eight University of Victoria students who excel both in and out of the classroom are recipients of this year's Blue and Gold Awards. The students were honoured for their remarkable volunteer contributions to the university and/or the Greater Victoria community while maintaining at least a B average. Three students, Matthew Cooper, Amanda Laliberte and Philippe Lucas, received $2,500 awards while five students, Brian Buchan, Catherine Etmanski, Ian Hussey, Kevin Lee and Jonathan Morris, received $1,000 awards. The Blue and Gold Awards receive financial support from CIBC. [continues 541 words]
Critics say Health Canada is profiting off the sick and dying after it was revealed the government-run agency is charging patients 15 times more for medicinal marijuana than it pays to buy weed in bulk. Records obtained by the Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act reveal that Health Canada has a 1,500 per cent mark-up on the marijuana it gets from its sole supplier. "It makes me sick to know this is happening, that this is how Health Canada treats people," says Burlington activist and medicinal marijuana user Alison Myrden. "I'd like to see them justify this atrocity." Myrden uses marijuana to relieve the debilitating pain caused by Tic Douloureux, a "violent, electrical pain in the face" that four per cent of MS patients get. Without marijuana she said she'd be popping 32 pills of Morphine a day. "I don't want to do that anymore." [continues 840 words]
Medical marijuana advocate Philippe Lucas is one of three students who received $2,500 awards last week for "remarkable volunteer contributions" to the University of Victoria and the community while maintaining at least a B average. A master's student in the studying policy and practice, Lucas is vice-chair of the City of Victoria downtown advisory committee, sits on the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C., and works closely with the Vancouver Island Compassion Society and the committee to end homelessness in Victoria. The other winners were chemistry student Matthew Cooper for his work with adult learners and Amanda Laliberte, a third-year visual arts student who played a key role in organizing a Metis youth group in Greater Victoria. [end]
Over the years, Philippe Lucas has proven himself an effective advocate for reforming Canada's drug laws. It turns out he's also a pretty good student. Lucas was one of three University of Victoria students who received an award for $2,500 last week for "remarkable volunteer contributions to the university and/or Greater Victoria community while maintaining at least a B average. A master's student in the study for policy and practice, Lucas is vice-chair of the City of Victoria's downtown advisory committee, he sits on the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, and works closely with the Vancouver Island Compassion Society as well as the committee to end homelessness in Victoria. The other winners were chemistry student Matthew Cooper for his work with adult learners and Amanda Laliberte, a third-year visual arts student, who played a key role in organizing a Metis youth group in Greater Victoria. [end]
Critics Complain Sickest Users Forced to Pay 'Criminal' Price OTTAWA-The federal government charges patients 15 times more for certified medical marijuana than it pays to buy the weed in bulk from its official supplier, newly released documents show. Critics say it's unconscionable to charge that high a markup to some of the sickest citizens, who have little income and are often cut off from their medical marijuana when they cannot pay their government dope bills. Records obtained under the Access to Information Act show Health Canada pays $328.75 per kilogram of bulk medical marijuana produced by Prairie Plant Systems Inc. It has a $10.3-million contract with Health Canada that expires Sept. 30, to grow standardized medical marijuana in an abandoned mine shaft in Flin Flon, Man. [continues 333 words]
Damage Done Is The Smartest Documentary Yet On A Divisive Subject, With A Clear Message That Change Is Needed In all the documentaries about the stupidities of the war against drugs, the smartest documentary yet may well be Damage Done: The Drug War Odyssey. What sets Damage Done apart is the way it approaches the issue. Connie Littlefield's documentary, for example, doesn't interview the usual suspects. It doesn't include all those you'd expect to be in favour of drugs such as Marc Emery talking about being targeted by the U.S. federal government for selling marijuana seeds through the mail to U.S. customers, members of the B.C. Compassion Club pointing out the medicinal benefits of cannabis, or protesters snubbing authority by smoking up at the annual Smoke-In. [continues 677 words]
The busting of Mark Russell and the Mid-Island Compassion Club reminds me of Charles Dickens' apt quote: "The law is an ass." At the same time, it draws attention to a community-need. I hate to say it, and I know they are only doing their job, but as a proud multi-generation RCMP brat I'm sorry to see them tasked with chasing people whose only choice to live comfortably with their various diagnosed ailments is to use medicinal marijuana. What a waste of their already stretched resources. [continues 248 words]
Dear friends, It has long been argued that the most effective harm reduction measure is ending the costly and ineffective "War on Drugs." Because of the federal government's unflagging support of drug prohibition: . substance use is stigmatized, and users continue to face arrest; . needle-exchange is under-funded or otherwise blocked; . the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst substance users continues to expand; . substance use education and/or treatment is largely abstinence-based or unavailable; . research into approaches toward harm reduction is stymied. [continues 445 words]
Legal marijuana users decry federally sanctioned product as weak and pricey The cannabis menu at the Vancouver Island Compassion Society changes daily. On this particular day, clients have a choice of Pochi, Hog, Shishberry, Imposter or Jack Herer. Beneath each name, a brief description of the effects of the variety is provided: strong and heady, reads one; mellow and body buzz, reads another. In addition to supplying medical cannabis buds to about 600 clients on Vancouver Island, the compassion society offers an arrange of cannabis by-products and alternatives to smoking, such as cookies, oral sprays and tinctures, says society director Philippe Lucas. [continues 1196 words]
A $4 million slash to medical marijuana research funding announced by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty Monday (September 25) led to early celebration among medpot activists. "It was really exciting this morning when the rumour was that the Tories cut the whole program," says Vancouver Island Compassion Society founder Philippe Lucas with only a small hint of sarcasm. Turns out the Tories aren't stoner stupid. The "cut" represents money that hadn't actually been allocated, just earmarked for research. Any elimination of funding for Health Canada's medpot program would, activists argue, have put the feds in violation of the 2000 Parker court ruling that upheld the right to medical pot and killed possession laws. [continues 283 words]
The Budget Axe The Conservatives were wielding the budget axe yesterday and it came down on medicinal marijuana research and department for the Status of Women. The $1 billion in federal funding cuts were announced at the same time the government reported a $13.2 billion surplus in the last fiscal year. "They never really viewed the work of grassroots women's organizations as real work," said B.C. Coalition of Women's Centres spokeswoman Debra Critchley of the $5 million cut to the Status of Women. "At the end of the day really what it does is facilitate silencing women." [continues 73 words]
Re: Making Canada A Leader In Medical Marijuana, Alan Young, May 3. Although I applaud the recognition of the therapeutic potential of cannabis by "big business," media moguls and law professors are not the only people in Canada currently conducting research on this medicinal herb. Despite remaining unregulated by the federal government, our nation's compassion clubs and societies are involved in a number of medical cannabis studies, including a sociological examination of the patrons of compassion clubs sponsored by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). [continues 112 words]
Victoria-area pot activists are eagerly anticipating a visit from retired Seattle police chief Norm Stamper, a leading advocate for the reform of North America's drug laws. Stamper, a 34-year veteran of the Seattle and San Diego police departments, is scheduled to speak from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers at Victoria city hall. A member of the group Law enforcement Against Prohibition, Stamper will "explore from the perspective of a police chief why the war on drugs is doomed to fail," said an advisory from the Vancouver Island Compassion Society. [end]
The former chief of the Seattle police, Norm Stamper, was in Calgary lifting weights in a hotel gym on Monday, at the same time as Canada's conservative prime minister, Stephen Harper, appeared on television in a live broadcast of his speech to the Canadian Professional Police Association's meeting in Ottawa. Among other things, Harper promised to introduce tougher minimum sentences for drug offences and to drop the Liberals' legislation that would have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. [continues 418 words]
Victoria's mayor has thrown his support behind local medicinal pot users and called upon Health Canada to conduct an immediate review of how it provides medical marijuana to Canadians. A presentation to council by local compassion clubs last month prompted Alan Lowe to draft a letter to federal Health Minister Tony Clement criticizing public access to the Federal Marijuana Medical Access Regulation program. "Many of these citizens rely on marijuana for the purpose of pain management and have expressed an inability to access the... program," he wrote in the March 20 letter. [continues 392 words]
People Needing Marijuana For Pain Management Can't Get Access To Federal Program, He Says In Letter To Health Canada Victoria's mayor has thrown his support behind local medicinal pot users and called on Health Canada to do an immediate review of how it provides medical marijuana to Canadians. A presentation to council by local compassion clubs last month prompted Alan Lowe to draft a letter to federal Health Minister Tony Clement criticizing public access to the Federal Marijuana Medical Access Regulation program. [continues 142 words]
Fifteen people, a tiny downtown apartment and a man sick from AIDS with anywhere from one to five years to live. This is the heart of the Kelowna Compassion Club-the latest medical marijuana operation to grace B.C.'s map. It's a spin-off of highly successful efforts in Vancouver, Victoria and Nelson to provide safe, accessible cannabis to patients with otherwise debilitating conditions. To say it's a fledgling operation is a bit of an understatement. "It's been a slow grow," said founder Richard Babcock. [continues 676 words]
Victoria's two compassion clubs are operating illegally, that much appears clear. Apparently, the chances of either the Vancouver Island Compassion Society or the Cannabis Buyers Club receiving a legal exemption to provide medical marijuana for their members is slim at this point. "Ultimately Health Canada's position on this is compassion clubs are illegal," organization spokesperson Chris Williams said this week. As for the clubs' continued operation, he added "it's a matter for law enforcement agencies." Essentially, the Victoria police have bigger fish to fry right now, according to Insp. Les Sylven. [continues 613 words]
It took two years for Victoria's city council to set up a meeting with Health Canada about medical marijuana, but it would seem the federal agency balked when the city said the meeting had to be open to the public. The public meeting was scheduled for the end of January before it was cancelled. "Due to the fact that the meeting was going to be public, that was an issue," says mayor Alan Lowe. Apparently, there were "certain proponents" the agency didn't want at the meeting, as it is currently fighting those individuals in court cases. [continues 309 words]