Pubdate: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 Source: Now, The (Surrey, CN BC) Copyright: 2011 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://www.thenownewspaper.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462 Author: Marisa Babic, Surrey Now AS 420 LOOMS, SURREY STUDENTS QUIETLY PUSH FOR POT ENLIGHTENMENT SURREY - Pot Day or Weed Day is celebrated on April 20, popularly known as 420. Downtown, pot smokers gather in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, others descend on the lawn at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. At Surrey's Kwantlen campus, the day might pass without notice. The Kwantlen Student Association supports the decriminalization of marijuana, for both medicinal and recreational use, but they go about quietly. Take the KSA's day planner. In the April 20th slot, in the top corner in tiny print, tinier than for example "Campus Closed" or "Last Day of Exams" it says, "Buy your rollies at KSA Members Services." "It's not something we publicize in a huge way," says KSA spokesman Nathan Griffiths. "The Kwantlen Student Association will continue to sell rolling papers on that day. It's a small thing we can do to support students like Robert, who have their doctor's support, as well as show our support of decriminalization of recreational marijuana." Robert Kovacic, 55, is a part-time student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Newton campus. Kovacic, a former labourer who suffers with chronic back pain due to eight deteriorating dics and now survives on a disability pension, has been using marijuana to manage his pain for past 18 months. Kovacic has a licence from Health Canada, which allows him to legally carry a small amount of marijuana for medical use. He carries the licence, which looks like a driver's licence and must be renewed annually, in his wallet at all times. Before switching to pot, Kovacic used three or four different medications plus cortisone shots sporadically to control his pain. The medication diminished his pain, he says, but left him in a fuzzy haze. "I was looking for an option and the option was cannabis," he says. "My doctor was willing to support me so I made the switch." Kovacic says marijuana has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the pain, but without the side effects of the pharmaceuticals he was taking before. The pot, he says, "cuts the edge." He believes switching to pot to manage his pain has allowed him to delay surgery, which he still may require eventually down the road, but at least it's bought him some time. In the meantime, he smokes when he needs to, eats healthy and exercises - "walking, swimming and yoga." "It allows me to operate, it allows me to go about my day and do my stuff. I'm still able to focus on my work and it doesn't hinder me in any way," says Kovacic, who is studying art at the university and has several pieces on display in the campus gallery. He acknowledges that some people scoff at the notion of medical marijuana use and its touted benefits, but dismisses those critics. "They're ill-informed," he says, counting his own father among the disbelievers. The KSA hosted a referendum in October 2003, asking students the question: "Do you support the decriminalization of marijuana?" The result was 470 yes and 314 no. Griffiths believes Canada will eventually decriminalize marijuana. Changing national demographics combined with a growing acceptance of pot's recreational use and its touted beneficial health qualities will, in due course, result in more enlightened legislation. "As the population ages, pubic opinion is going to be overwhelmingly in support of recreational use along with making medical marijuana more accessible," he says. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.