cannabisnews.com: Winnipeg Medical Marijuana Crusader Charged





Winnipeg Medical Marijuana Crusader Charged
Posted by CN Staff on August 30, 2002 at 08:11:12 PT
By The Canadian Press
Source: Globe and Mail 
Winnipeg — The founder of Winnipeg's first club for medicinal marijuana use said he was the victim of a home invasion this week — but it was the police who walked away with most of his valuables.Chris Buors, 44, said three masked men with crowbars broke into his north end home early Thursday morning, but took only an inexpensive stereo system.
Mr. Buors wasn't hurt in the incident. However, he said that after the police finished investigating the crime, he was charged with cultivation and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.Police also seized 26 marijuana plants and hydroponic equipment valued at $2,500."A neighbour must have heard the breaking glass and called police, but I asked them not to come in," said Mr. Buors, founder of the Compassion Club."I told them they really didn't want to go there, but they insisted."Mr. Buors said while this is only his second arrest involving marijuana growing, it's the first time he's been busted since he began the Compassion Club last year.Mr. Buors' Compassion Club is one of about a dozen such clubs across the country where people buy discounted marijuana for medical use.The clubs cater to people with painful ailments who wouldn't normally come into contact with drug dealers or their environs, but who believe that smoking marijuana provides the only real relief from the pain they are suffering.Mr. Buors said his club has 25 members suffering a variety of illnesses including Crohn's disease, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and depression.Ottawa amended federal drug laws last summer to allow a limited number of patients suffering from such ailments to obtain a special exemption that allows them to possess marijuana for their personal use.About 255 people across the country have since obtained the controversial exemptions, but many doctors are reluctant to prescribe marijuana for their patients, either because it remains an illegal drug or because they believe any health benefits are outweighed by the damage caused by smoking it.Mr. Buors said his club includes two people with the special exemption, but added the rest can't get marijuana or don't feel comfortable buying it from drug dealers.A Calgary man who operated a branch of the Compassion Club, Grant Krieger, was acquitted by a jury June 2001 for selling marijuana to members. The Crown is appealing the case.Mr. Buors said he's never been bothered by the police since the club was founded last November, adding investigating officers this week were polite and professional."They were just doing their jobs," Mr. Buors said. "My beef is with the prime minister of Canada, who is the only one who can change the laws." Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Published: Thursday, August 29, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.ca/Related Articles & Web Site:Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmSmoke Out the Politicianshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13880.shtmlPot Ruling Not High on Activist's Wish List http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13459.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by VitaminT on August 30, 2002 at 14:13:11 PT
I think you're right observer
". . . three masked men with crowbars broke into his north end home early Thursday morning, but took only an(one) inexpensive (cheap) stereo system . . ."This makes no sense - and it looks like the kind of ruse the DEA would be involved in. If not for aquiring a pretext what purpose would it serve? If you were a criminal would you bring that much manpower and leave nothing but 1 cheap stereo? Very fishy!
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Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on August 30, 2002 at 13:28:22 PT:
But this says so much, too
Mr. Buors's home is invaded. So he calls the cops.Perfectly normal...unless you live in the States. There, the cops are even more likely to suspect you of something, even though they've been called in by a citizen with a legitimate complaint. Anything to bring up those bust statistics at the end of the month. Even if you are squeaky clean and never touch anything illicit, they will still try to get you to say something incriminating, rather than just take down the facts and leave.But Canadians don't generally have the kind of nearly automatic, quasi-paranoid view many of us in the States have towards our own police. They haven't had to...until very recently. So, the man with weed in the house...calls the cops.Very sad. Very, very sad...
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Comment #2 posted by observer on August 30, 2002 at 11:56:14 PT
Two For One Deal: the Cops are the Robbers ?
Chris Buors, 44, said three masked men with crowbars broke into his north end home early Thursday morning, but took only an inexpensive stereo system.Sounds like cops to me, looking for a pretext to search when they could not get a legitamate reason. I think their illegal entry and search will be tossed in court.
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Comment #1 posted by jvthc on August 30, 2002 at 11:43:06 PT:
The Irony...
He gets robbed, then, essentially, gets robbed even "worse" by the police.Question: Why couldn't this man successfully refuse to press charges, or file a complaint?Makes you think, eh?
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