cannabisnews.com: Reefer Sadness Reefer Sadness Posted by CN Staff on August 22, 2002 at 18:12:46 PT By Matthewa A. Mernagh Source: NOW Magazine I am member 022 of the Toronto Compassion Centre. Not that it will do me any good now. Last week the feisty little organization at Bathurst and St. Clair that supplies medical marijuana to 1,200 of us who endure the daily pain of AIDS, hep C, MS, bipolar disorder and more was busted by Toronto's finest. For five years this fearless pot pharmacy navigated the messy business that has become federal marijuana policy. But when drug officers from 13 and 53 Divisions battered down the door on August 13, with their guns pointed, hundreds of us were suddenly sent back on the streets to scrounge for our meds.At our revered Compassion Club, purchasing medicinal doobies was not unlike having a prescription filled at a neighbourhood drug store. The difference was that the herb was often cheaper than meds peddled by pharmaceutical companies. My own monthly regimen included $200 (less than an ounce) for marijuana and $35 for kava kava and St. John's wort.I suffered a terrible flare-up of arthritis this winter, and my pharmaceutical bill, footed by Ontario's drug benefit program, staggered in at an impressive $445.14 a month (Celebrex $88.97, Effexor XR $109.84, Zyprexa $220.84, Cytotec $25.49).The kingpins of the Compassion operation, Warren Hitzig and Zach Naftolin, should be awarded honourary Bachelors of Science for their knowledge of medicinal weed. In a busy week, they'd speak to between 500 and 600 patients -- currently Health Canada has only granted 806 people country-wide status to burn corn legally. The centre provides its members with detailed analyses of the various strains; a message board in the back room offers a percentile rating of how much sativa or indica is present in the bud. This vital information is especially useful for those who keep a daily health log. Members who require a more uplifting, appetite-inducing high prefer to toke sativa breeds, while some, like me, desire the meditative body stone of the indica strains.Now I've returned to scoring green on the street. With not much luck. People ingesting for medicinal reasons require a steady, consistent supply, plus information on what strain they're purchasing. Having used the centre's simple, effective service for so long, I've forgotten the street lingo needed for scoring. "Which one is more?" I ask a dealer when queried whether I want a "lid or macaroni and cheese."Next time I'll bring the handy slang dictionary provided by www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov. They've identified 2,300 slang terms for specific drug types and activities, of which 588 directly relate to marijuana.According to the site, a lid is "one ounce of marijuana" while macaroni and cheese is a "$5 pack of marijuana." At the club I used to purchase my medicine in $10/gram increments, which is not typical of how street dealers' pre-packaged sizes work. You can also forget about asking them whether they're selling an indica or sativa strain. Of course, the government righteously promised to become our dealer of choice back in 2000 when pain sufferers won the right to access in that landmark court decision. And while the feds awarded a Flin Flon, Manitoba, company a five-year contract to grow the herb in an abandoned copper mine, no government green has ended up in the lungs of sick people. Health Canada says it is waiting for research studies but that they can't be started until it is ascertained that the Flin Flon weed is "safe." That means don't hold your breath. Department spokesperson Andrew Swift admits, "It's taking more time than we anticipated, as safety is our first priority."Professor and club lawyer Alan Young believes the foot-dragging has gone on long enough. He's launched a a civil suit funded by the Washington, DC-based Marijuana Policy Project to free the fed's medicinal weed on behalf of the centre, Hitzig and seven other people he has worked with over the years. Four of these people have current exemptions, two had exemptions under the old Health Canada system but don't now, and the last person's doctor won't fill out the new paperwork because doctors' insurers have told them not to. Waiting for the feds to take their royal time just isn't an option. Since I met Hitzig five years ago at Chatty Patty's at Yonge and Wellesley, I've been so much better. He promised to relieve my chronic arthritic pain, put some meat on my bones and reduce the stress of being ill. And he made good. Back then, this skater kid who was booted from George Brown's social science program for his staunch belief in the power of the herb, had a naive ambition. I was extremely skeptical, but still heartened that someone was willing to take the risk of imprisonment for my health. When the bust came, Hitzig could hardly believe it. He thought at first it was another attack by masked hoodlums like the one last December that left Naftolin with a concussion. Says Hitzig, "It's really ironic. After the robbery we installed panic buttons. We couldn't see who it was on our security camera, and Zach asked, "Should I push the button?' I told him, "Go ahead.' Then I noticed on one of the officers' bullet-proof vests the word "Police.' They went through the place like a tornado in a small town."There is rampant speculation about exactly what led police to make the raid. Young says it's especially disappointing since he believes the club had a tacit understanding with officers at 13 Division. When the club called police following the December robbery, he believes there were too many officers in the building for any of them to look the other way and pretend the club wasn't a pot service."I spoke with officer Lorna Jackson of 13 Division," Young says. "She said they had to investigate the club. She stopped returning my calls in March, so I figured the matter was resolved. What really upsets me is that we were really upfront with them. I could have provided the accused, but they had to come in violently. It's an enormously frightening experience." Jackson cannot be reached for comment, but police media relations officer Jim Muscat denies any sort of arrangement between the club and the 13 Division officer. "I have zero knowledge of that. Police seized a sizable amount of hashish, marijuana and cash. Those arrested were charged with eight counts, mostly from the marijuana, the last count being possession of property obtained from a crime."Young may be dismayed, but he's got lots of reefers in the fire, so to speak. Besides the civil suit, he also has two court cases designed to challenge the law before the nine justices of the Supreme Court of Canada. He thinks there is a way out for the feds, similar to the abortion law: let the marijuana law fall by the wayside and "the government can appease the American zealots. It would be easy for Canada to say, "We didn't do it, our courts did.'"Fears of U.S. pressure aren't stoner paranoia. Bruce Mirkin of the Marijuana Policy Project says his group is funding the civil case because he believes it can be demonstrated that the U.S. is meddling in Canadian pot policy. Both he and Young agree there are implied threats floating down from on high in Washington."I'm 100 per cent aware that the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) sent a rep to make a presentation to the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs," says Young. "When U.S. government officials talk about increasing border patrols, what they're really saying is "We're going to fuck with your trucking industry if you continue to go in this direction (decriminalization).'"With all this pressure mounting from beyond the border, it's high time people came out of the marijuana closest in a show of force. Just repeat after me: "I'm green and I'm proud." Do it in front of the bathroom mirror 50 times to summon your inner courage.Note: Pot club bust sends me onto the streets to score. Source: NOW Magazine (Canada)Author: Matthewa A. Mernagh Published: Vol. 21 No. 51 Aug 22 - 28, 2002 Copyright: 2002 NOW Communications Inc.Contact: letters nowtoronto.comWebsite: http://www.nowtoronto.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Toronto Compassion Centre http://www.torontocompassioncentre.org/Compassion Centre's Future Unclear http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13766.shtmlRaid Hurt The Sick: Pot Activisthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13752.shtml`Medicine' Seized in Bust of Pot Club http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13744.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by TroutMask on August 23, 2002 at 06:31:16 PT Canada is about to boil Things are rapidly coming to a head in Canada. Just recently, there has been an awful lot of attention focused on marijuana and medical marijuana in particular. Canadian newspapers have been almost 100% in support of legalization of medical marijuana and/or general adult use while harshly criticizing the Canadian government for dragging it's heals on the issues.In one week, the Canadian Senate is scheduled to release it's report which is almost certainly going to recommend at least decrminalizing for all adults. In coming months, the Canadian Supreme Court will be asked to decide whether prohibition of marijuana is unconstitutional, as well it may be.All of this media attention and floundering by the Canadian government comes at the perfect time. Things are rolling along just wonderfully.-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Jagster43 on August 23, 2002 at 05:36:02 PT: United States Forcing It,s Failed Policies on othe I used to believe in the U.S.A., having served in it,s military. How in God,s name are you to love a country that hates it,s own people,others and constantly violates it,s own constitution? Problem being the U.S.is one of the two(China being the other)superpower(?). Shame the U.S.S.R. isn,t around to tune down the U.S.of A.. I admire China in only one area,they mind their own business! "live and let live!". The trucking industries being messed with is one prime example. One neat nonviolent solution put an embargo on the U.S.,(What,s good for the goose is good for the gander). Are these bullied countries that hardup for U.S. blood money they call aid ? We do need to come out of the closet! Any law on the books dealing with anything cannabis related are insane! Makes me furious! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on August 23, 2002 at 05:13:48 PT: An FOIA of all phone logs for calls between Ottawa and DC made by the (ha-ha) 'Justice' Department and it's subsidiary organs like the DEA will clear the matter of DEA collusion with the RCMP and local cops very quickly. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by puff_tuff on August 22, 2002 at 19:31:45 PT Ottawa Eerily Silent On US Illegal Operation In BC Ottawa Eerily Silent On US Illegal Operation In BChttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1547/a05.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dark Star on August 22, 2002 at 19:23:44 PT A Challenge Reissued If any of you have additional information on DEA meddling in Canada, please make it public, or share it in this forum. These crimes must be exposed! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 22, 2002 at 18:57:52 PT Thank You The GCW I hope they have a big turnout and let people know how they feel. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on August 22, 2002 at 18:48:53 PT Medpot Protest in Toronto Medpot Protest in Toronto by Press Release by the TCC (22 Aug, 2002) Toronto Compassion Club Supporters organize rally http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2579.htmlOn Friday, August 23, hundreds of medical users will protest at the Canadian Department of Justice in Toronto (130 King St W) at 9 AM.On Friday, August 23, 2002 hundreds of medical marijuana users will congregate at Bay and King at 9:00 a.m, outside the Exchange Towers (130 King St. W) - the offices of the Federal Department of Justice. We demand that the Department drop all charges against the Toronto Compassion Centre. This prosecution does not serve the public interest. Now, in light of the recent revelation that this government will not provide a supply to authorized Canadians, this prosecution borders on the absurd.For further information, please contact:Toronto Compassion Centre - Media contact for this event: Dominic S. Cramer, 416-721-6746 (24hr cellular)Dominic S. Cramer, thcdom rogers.com and/or dom torontohemp.com and/or postmaster torontocompassioncentre.org and/or postmaster sacredseed.com and/or postmaster midoco.ca [ Post Comment ] Post Comment