HTTP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: text/html Activist Wants Pot Charges Dropped 
Pubdate: Mon, 26 Sep 2005
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Brookes Merritt
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?330 (Hemp - Outside U.S.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/grant.htm (Krieger, Grant)

ACTIVIST WANTS POT CHARGES DROPPED

A local marijuana and hemp activist facing charges under a section of law 
that was struck down nearly three years ago is refusing to go down without 
a fight.

Max Cornelssen, 63, will be in Court of Queen's Bench, Edmonton, on Oct. 13 
to demand the charges against him - cultivation and possession with intent 
to distribute - be dropped, because Parliament has not re-enacted a section 
of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that prohibits people from 
growing ganja.

His argument is based on a 2002 case in which the Alberta Court of Appeals 
upheld a ruling that said the section of the CDSA prohibiting marijuana 
cultivation was in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, because 
it prevented people from using marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Cornelssen's charges stem from a raid on a hemp co-op he was operating near 
Stettler. He says while hemp plants indeed produce buds - the stuff 
pot-smokers burn to get stoned - they contain insignificant levels of THC 
and aren't grown for smoking.

"Hemp is one of the most important plants on the planet right now, given 
the oil markets," he said. "Banning cultivation of a plant that's the 
largest producer of biomass on earth is ridiculous. Hemp and hemp seed oil 
can be used to make fuel, clothing and textiles. And it's a renewable 
source of energy."

Of course Cornelssen's also a big advocate of pot therapy - he says he's 
been smoking a jay-a-day for over 30 years and hasn't spent a single day in 
hospital.

"But that's not the focus of this hearing," he said. "This law has been 
dead since the Krieger ruling in 2002, but the courts here haven't 
instructed police to cease making arrests. Hundreds of people are being 
unfairly charged every day."

Cornelssen encouraged those curious about hemp to attend the October 
hearing, and meet with his representative John Turmel - one of Canada's 
best-known marijuana advocates.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom