cannabisnews.com: The Catch-22 of Compassion The Catch-22 of Compassion Posted by CN Staff on February 27, 2003 at 10:32:49 PT Editorial Source: Victoria News Compassion clubs that supply marijuana to people who claim to need it for medicinal purposes have become a staple of sizable communities across North American in recent years, as public opinion softens on the prohibition against pot. Yet these “clubs” operate in a legal vacuum given court decisions that have been handed down in Canada in recent years, which have muddied the waters when it comes to marijuana and the law. So let’s be clear up front. On the issue of marijuana and its legality, The Victoria News is squarely in the camp that says legalize it, for everyone, be they recreational users or medicinal users. But our stance on the proper legal status of pot does not blind us to the fact that marijuana as of today is still illegal to consume and possess, unless you have a specific exemption granted by the federal government. Thus the Catch-22 that bedevils police departments such as Victoria’s when compassion gives way to illegal activity as currently defined under the Canadian Criminal Code. Which brings us to the continuing raids against Victoria’s Cannabis Buyers Club. Every time the police conduct a raid on the storefront of the Cannabis Buyer’s Club of Canada, formerly known as Ted’s Books, the “compassionate” souls who run the club risk frittering away the good will that clubs such as the Vancouver Island Compassion Society have developed in Victoria and have worked hard to maintain. Ted Smith and his compatriots have made no secret of the fact they would like to see marijuana legalized outright. They are the first to admit that the medical marijuana angle has afforded them a foot in the door toward that end. While Smith argues that his people go to great lengths to ensure their customers aren’t re-selling the marijuana they purchase, as is often alleged by Victoria police when they raid the place, the bottom line is it’s still happening, or at least the local police believe so. Thus the raids. Smith claims his organization has more than 1,200 members. The vast majority of those people do not have Health Canada’s permission to use marijuana, despite allegedly being afflicted with various ailments. The 300-member Vancouver Island Compassion Club (a separate entity), according to executive director Philippe Lucas, specifically requires a doctor’s prescription for marijuana to get in. And prospective clients must sign a contract stating that they promise not to re-sell their purchase. The contract impresses upon people the seriousness of their responsibility, says Lucas, and is a big reason why that club has not been busted since Lucas once called Oak Bay police about a break-in at the shop more than two years ago. While Lucas’s club is engaged in the same kind of quasi-illegal activity as Smith’s club, it doesn’t seem to get nearly the heat that the downtown Victoria club feels from time to time. The Victoria police are well aware of the stance Smith has taken on the legalization of marijuana. While his pot-related arrests over the years — four at last count — have left him feeling vulnerable and prompted him to keep a low profile in recent months following his failed mayoralty bid, he is known for leading pro-legalization rallies and generally being vocal on the subject. With the federal government thinking seriously about removing simple possession of marijuana from the criminal code, it would appear that the old expression the squeaky wheel gets the grease might apply when it comes to Smith’s fight to get cannabis legalized. But when it comes to providing the substance in a way that essentially flaunts the existing law, sellers, compassionate or not, have to be a lot more low-key and provide safety mechanisms to prevent any good will that has been built up from being lost among the general population. There are those who say the police in Victoria are harassing Victoria’s compassion club, as a letter on this very page argues. But what are the police to do? And while one could argue the club’s efforts are based on compassion for people who claim to get medical relief from marijuana, they must take seriously the responsibility they have taken on and police themselves better in the future. If not, it’s not the Victoria police’s fault that police raids will continue into the future. Source: Victoria News (CN BC)Published: February 25, 2003Copyright: 2003 Victoria NewsWebsite: http://www.vicnews.com/Contact: vicnews vinewsgroup.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:VICShttp://www.thevics.com/Hempology 101http://www.hempology101.com/Police Question Pot Club’s Policing Efforts http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15591.shtmlPot Activists Hold Rally in Wake of Arrests http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15515.shtmlPolice Review Medical Pot Policies http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12622.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Post Comment