Pubdate: Tue, 08 Aug 2000
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2000 Southam Inc.
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Author: Nate Hendley

SOROS GROUP FUNDED CASE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

U.S. think-tank backed by billionaire gave Canadian man $25,000 for appeal

A Toronto man who won the legal right to use marijuana for medicinal
purposes received financial support from a U.S. think-tank funded by
billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

The Lindesmith Center gave more than US$25,000 to help cover Terry Parker's
legal bills. Mr. Parker uses the drug to fight his severe epilepsy. Last
month, the Ontario Court of Appeal not only upheld his right to use
marijuana, but it declared Canada's cannabis law to be unconstitutional. The
court gave Parliament 12 months to rewrite the legislation so legitimate
patients can get medicinal cannabis.

Founded in 1994, the Lindesmith Center wants to "end marijuana prohibition
for adults" and soften drug laws in general, said director Ethan Nadelmann.

This summer, the Lindesmith Center merged with the Drug Policy Foundation
and is now "the leading organization in the United States advocating
alternative drug policies," Mr. Nadelmann said.

It has helped draft medical marijuana initiatives that have passed in
Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Maine and Nevada. It is now backing a
California ballot initiative that would divert drug offenders into treatment
instead of prison.

It also operates an annual US$125,000 defence fund to cover the legal
expenses of those seeking to change drug laws through the courts.

In 1997, Toronto criminal lawyer Aaron Harnett approached the Lindesmith
Center to help cover court costs for his client, Mr. Parker, who had been
charged the previous year with growing cannabis plants in his apartment.

The Lindesmith Center provided a few thousand dollars for expert witnesses
who testified at Mr. Parker's trial about the medical efficacy of marijuana.

Mr. Parker won his case and the Lindesmith Center dramatically boosted its
support so Mr. Harnett could fight off a Crown appeal. Mr. Parker won that
appeal last month.

Over a two-year period, the Lindesmith Center provided Mr. Harnett and one
other lawyer a total of roughly US$25,000. These funds covered day-to-day
legal expenses and the cost of providing more expert witnesses for cross
examination, says Mr. Harnett.

He calls it "money well spent."

Mr. Harnett doesn't see anything unusual about using U.S. dollars to pay for
a court case in Canada.

"It's naive to think our drug policies are unrelated to American drug
policies," he said. "I don't see anything offensive about taking a North
American approach to drug policy reform."

The Lindesmith Center enjoys a high profile in the United States, largely
because of generous funding from George Soros, a wealthy currency speculator
who runs an international investment fund.

Born in 1930 in Hungary, he survived that country's takeover by Germany and
then fled to England in 1947.

Mr. Soros has devoted millions to fight what he perceives as threats to
democracy.

Last year, Mr. Soros's charities handed out more than half-a-billion
dollars, to fund everything from establishing e-mail access in poor
countries to developing democracy in eastern Europe.

Since the mid-1990s, Mr. Soros has also pumped tens of millions of dollars
into organizations opposed to the so-called "war on drugs."

In addition to footing most of the Lindesmith Center's $3-million annual
budget, Mr. Soros gave $1-million in 1996 to promote ballot initiatives that
legalized medical marijuana in California and decriminalized drug use in
Arizona.

Now, Mr. Soros's money might lead to major drug law reforms in Canada:
Within days of the appeal court's ruling, Anne McLellan, the Justice
Minister, said Ottawa would consider reducing penalties for possessing
marijuana.

The Parker ruling also might open the door to a legal medical marijuana
market in Canada. Such a move would be welcomed by U.S. activists who
complain their federal government remains bitterly opposed to the medical
use of pot.

"If medical marijuana can be accepted in Canada, by its people and judicial
system, and if medical marijuana distribution centres can be set up by
government and police, certainly the same thing can be done 60 miles away in
the United States," said Daniel Abrahamson, director of Lindesmith legal
affairs.
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