Pubdate: Sun, 11 Sep 2005
Source: Chronicle Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2005 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Dan Arsenault, Crime Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

POT USERS JOIN IN SOLIDARITY

Pot and politics took over Halifax's Grand Parade for five hours Saturday, 
during a Marijuana Solidarity Day held to protest Canada's drug laws and 
promote the herb's medicinal benefits.

One of the organizers, Alison Myrden of Toronto, said she has federal 
government approval to use huge amounts of pot - about a kilogram a month - 
to battle chronic multiple sclerosis and an incredibly painful facial 
condition called, tic douloureux.

"This is a day to liberate cannabis and to show people that we are here and 
we're not going away," she said.

 From noon to 5 p.m., small groups of people sat in the square listening to 
music and openly smoking weed. There were some speeches, and about 80 
people gathered at the event's closing. Two uniformed Halifax Regional 
Police officers watched from the sidewalk but did not make any arrests, and 
an undercover cop was seen videotaping the participants.

Ms. Myrden said the Halifax event is one of 40 such gatherings being held 
worldwide to fight for their cause, part of which includes seeking support 
for Marc Emery. He's a British Columbia man who was arrested in Nova Scotia 
in July at the request of U.S. authorities for allegedly running an 
international Internet-based marijuana-seed delivery empire.

Although she has government approval to smoke pot, Ms. Myrden buys her 
marijuana - preferably a strain called William's Wonder - on the street 
because the government's product is of poor quality.

If she doesn't use marijuana, her other option involves taking 32 pills 
daily and 2,000 milligrams of morphine.

She thinks marijuana crusaders are persuading people with their message and 
thinks naysayers don't know enough about the issue.

"Know what you're talking about before you condemn us. Say 'know' to drugs."

Chummy Anthony, 53, of Windsor said marijuana isn't harmful but other drugs 
are, so they shouldn't be legal. But he thinks addicts should be treated in 
hospital rather than jailed.

In 2003, Mr. Anthony ran for the Marijuana Party in a provincial election 
but lost with just 148 votes. A victim of two auto accidents, he goes 
through five to eight grams daily and hasn't been able to get federal 
approval exempting him from marijuana laws.

"That's one of the reasons I'm out here fighting," he said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman