Pubdate: Fri, 12 Aug 2005
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Marshall Jones
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

MEDICINAL DOPE INTEREST COOLS

The arrest of marijuana activist Marc Emery isn't deterring many in the 
local cannabis culture but some fear a public and police backlash.

Emery was arrested this week for, among other things, selling mail-order 
marijuana seeds into the U.S.

He was perhaps Canada's most outspoken activist and his recent arrest-and 
extradition order to the United States-has pushed marijuana back into the news.

Richard Babcock is allowed by Health Canada to use marijuana as medicine to 
counteract other medications in his fight against AIDS.

Last month, he became the front man for a new local society called the 
Okanagan Compassion Club that finds marijuana for doctor-approved patients.

Babcock doesn't sell seeds over the Internet to foreign countries like 
Emery did, but he could be considered a marijuana courier, perhaps trafficker.

"Every compassion club is pushing the law but the deal is the police know 
and the city knows we are not trying to be the big dope dealers in town," 
Babcock says.

"I know there's a chance I might get popped, but I do it because I am 
helping people and I'm willing to take that chance."

Babcock is taking that chance but he is finding few others are.

At one time, he figured he would have hundreds of people from cancer 
clinics alone but now he says it's more of a trickle than a flood. The 
Okanagan Compassion Club is but one of five in the province.

None of them have drawn the attention of police before, but activism isn't 
an excuse under the law.

Cary Holtz doesn't have a medicinal exemption to use marijuana but his 
business depends on marijuana and hemp use.

He and his wife own Mary Jane's Headquarters on the Westside.

He considers himself more of a businessman than an activist but will 
certainly be affected by public opinions on marijuana.

"I'm certainly hoping (Emery's arrest) won't scare people off," he says.

"I hope people question the whole thing and say what can we do and find 
ways to decriminalize marijuana."

Mary Jane's Headquarters sells mostly hemp products and Holtz is concerned 
it, too, will be lumped in with its marijuana cousin.

Neither Babcock nor Holtz show any allegiance to Emery and say he alone 
accepts the consequences of his actions.

They just hope they don't wind up following him.
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MAP posted-by: Beth