Pubdate: Sat, 24 Mar 2007
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2007 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Thane Burnett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

DUDE, WHERE'S MY WAR?

Canadian Works For Israeli Pro-Pot Peace Party

Canadian Adam Mann sees himself as an envoy for peace  in the Middle East.

But that may simply be a pipe dream.

The 22-year-old University of Calgary political science  student has 
recently been recruited by one of Israel's  most unusual political 
parties to help gather Canadian  support and know-how. This includes 
lobbying expertise  in the last word in calming an unstable region -- pot.

He has begun work as a representative of the Green Leaf  Party of 
Israel, whose platform is largely built on the  legalization of 
marijuana. The anti-drug law fights,  and other issues, are very 
similar in both countries,  party members say.

"It's shocking to (Canadians)," Mann says of their  reaction when he 
explains he's working on behalf of an  Israeli pro-pot party. "They 
see Israel as the  conflict. When they find out (there's) marijuana 
and  there are gay people, they are surprised."

His work for the group includes linking them up with  Canadian 
experts, on everything from environmental  issues -- the main reason 
he signed onboard -- to  decriminalization lobby efforts.

Last October, the party organized the First  Israeli-Arab "Joint" 
Conference at Jerusalem's Hebrew  University. Among the sponsors was 
Canada's  self-described "Prince of Pot" and B.C.'s controversial 
Marijuana Party leader, Marc Emery, who appeared via  video link to 
deliver a message of shared brotherhood.

But words and drugs weren't enough to bridge huge gaps  at the event, 
when organizers couldn't convince three  scheduled Arab-Israeli 
speakers to actually light up.

While the West dwells on the hardline political  front-runners during 
Israeli elections, the landscape  is littered with unusual candidates 
- -- from fishmongers  to an angry puppeteer. But it's the Green Leaf 
Party,  and its rebel vote among young voters, which makes  headlines overseas.

A recent report by the Israel Anti-Drug Authority found  about 10% of 
Israelis, aged 12-17, use drugs. It's  renewed a national push for 
urine tests in schools --  something that more than 80% of Israeli 
adults  apparently favour. The study found secular youth in the 
country count on cannabis, while religious teens most  often use harder drugs.

The head of the Green Leaf Party believes that instead  of cracking 
down, the country should be lighting up --  hoping Canadian activists 
might give them better ideas  on how to finally make gains.

"Sure, the region would be more peaceful," Green Leaf's  27-year-old 
leader, Ohad Shem-Tov, says of life in  Israel if pot was decriminalized.

His party preaches that the war on drugs is actually  helping to 
secure a market that benefits terrorism.

"Instead of drinking wine and cocktails, (world  leaders) should 
light up," he reasons.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman