Pubdate: Thu, 21 Apr 2011
Source: Oshawa This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2011 Oshawa This Week
Contact:  http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/news/oshawa
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1767
Author: Jillian Follert
Cited: Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy http://www.cssdp.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

MEDICAL POT USER SAYS HE WAS HARASSED BY COPS

Police Called to UOIT Campus at April 15 Just Say Know Event

OSHAWA -- A drug education conference at UOIT took an ironic turn 
Friday afternoon when a guest speaker invited to talk about the 
challenges faced by medical marijuana users says he was harassed - 
for being a medical marijuana user.

Ben Fudge, an Oshawa resident and federally exempted medical 
marijuana user, was among nine speakers on the agenda for the April 
15 Just Say Know conference, the first event of its kind at the university.

After participating in a panel discussion, Mr. Fudge says he rolled 
outside in his wheelchair to smoke marijuana - in a designated 
smoking area - and was approached by campus security.

"The security guard didn't understand that I am exempt and said I had 
to leave or he was calling the police," Mr. Fudge says. "I refused to 
leave because I hadn't done anything wrong."

Police arrived shortly after and Mr. Fudge found himself embroiled in 
a confrontation, some of which was captured on video and uploaded to YouTube.

"You've been asked to leave by security, you're not welcome on the 
grounds," a police officer can be heard saying to Mr. Fudge in the clip.

Officials from UOIT and Durham Regional Police say police weren't 
called to the campus because of Mr. Fudge. They allege it was due to 
complaints about table displays set up as part of the conference.

"It wasn't about marijuana use, it was about materials ... on the 
tables," said police spokesman Dave Selby.

Some tables showcased harm reduction kits from the John Howard 
Society of Durham Region - containing condoms, syringes and pipe 
screens - while others displayed marijuana-themed items, including 
pot leaf leis.

UOIT spokeswoman Lisa Banks said conference organizers had permission 
to set up displays in a classroom in the UOIT science building, but 
not in the atrium, an area more accessible to students passing by.

She says campus security asked organizers to move the tables into the 
classroom and that the situation "escalated" to involve police.

Ms. Banks and Mr. Selby both stressed Mr. Fudge was allowed to remain 
on campus after discussing his situation with police.

However, Mr. Fudge says he felt "harassed and discriminated against" 
after the encounter.

"This proves why we need a conference like this in the first place, 
why we need education," he said.

Asked whether UOIT allows medical marijuana users to smoke pot on 
campus, Ms. Banks said students can work with the campus centre for 
disabilities to determine what kind of "accommodation" they are permitted.

The conference, organized by the local chapter of Canadian Students 
for Sensible Drug Policy, featured a full day of speakers covering 
everything from party drugs and safe home tattoos, to drug 
prohibition alternatives.

The CSSDP is a national, grassroots group that "neither encourages 
nor condemns drug use," according to its literature.

Event organizer and Durham College student Jessi Murray says Mr. 
Fudge's experience wasn't the only controversy -- it was a challenge 
to convince UOIT to allow the conference at all.

"The school is very cautious when it comes to things like this, 
they're concerned about their public image and what the community 
will think if we talk about drugs this way," she said.

Ms. Murray says she got involved with the local chapter of CSSDP 
because she saw how drugs hurt people at her high school, in some 
cases ending their lives.

Acknowledging that some youths will choose to use drugs despite the 
best efforts of prevention programs, Ms. Murray says events like Just 
Say Know arm them with tools to protect themselves.

"It's been proven that young people often choose to use even after we 
tell them to just say no. If they do choose to use and they know 
nothing about these drugs or what to expect or how to be safe ... 
it's dangerous."

Ali Connelly, one of dozens of people who stopped by to check out the 
Just Say Know event, said teaching youth about safe drug use is like 
teaching them about safe sex.

"You probably don't want kids to have sex, but if they're going to 
anyway it should at least be safe. It's the same thing with drugs," 
says the 18 year old. "If it's going to happen anyway ... shouldn't 
we try to make it safe?"

Mr. Fudge will be speaking to the Oshawa accessibility advisory 
committee about accessibility for medical marijuana users on April 19 
at 6:30 p.m. at Oshawa City Hall.  
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake