cannabisnews.com: Ottawa Won't Prosecute Medical Marijuana Activists





Ottawa Won't Prosecute Medical Marijuana Activists
Posted by CN Staff on January 27, 2004 at 22:34:27 PT
By Brian Laghi
Source: Globe and Mail 
Ottawa — Citizen groups that provide medicinal marijuana to the chronically-ill are rejoicing today amid news that Ottawa will not proceed with trafficking charges laid against two men operating a well-known Toronto care centre.The Globe and Mail has learned that the federal government will refrain from pursuing a prosecution against two men who operated a Toronto organization whose workers were devoted to dispensing cannabis to patients suffering from persistent illnesses like AIDS and other ailments.
The men's preliminary hearing was to have started today."This is exciting," said Warren Hitzig, one of two individuals charged with a number of drug-related offenses."By not convicting me, you're basically opening the door for others to operate."Mr. Hitzig, 27, and a colleague, Zach Naftolin, were charged in 2002 after the Toronto Compassion Centre they helped to operate was robbed and investigating police later found large quantities of marijuana on the premises.Mr. Hitzig said he was informed last week that the charges would not go ahead. However, sources were unclear whether they would be withdrawn or stayed. A stayed charged means police have the right to proceed for up to a year.He said many other such clubs across had been concerned they would be the next ones to face charges, and are encouraged now that they will be able to operate without that fear."I think that's the message, but they were also really scared. They don't want to go through the same thing that I did," he said. He said that recently-established regulations that allow chronically-ill Canadians to access the drug are very onerous, necessitating the need for his organization and others like it. Mr. Hitzig and Mr. Naftolin no longer run the club, which has since begun operating in another location."The government has to do something. It's popping up all over the world," he said. "Health Canada get your act together."The operator of a Vancouver centre said the decision may encourage others to provide the service."I think it's another note of recognition of the service we are providing," said Hilary Black, co-director of the B.C. Compassion Club Society. Ms. Black, whose club currently provides marijuana to 2,800 individuals, said her organization regularly receives inquiries from individuals wanting to set up clubs but who are concerned about whether it's safe to do so.Federal justice officials would not comment on the matter.The stay was ordered after Justice Minister Irwin Cotler received a letter from Toronto lawyer Alan Young asking that the prosecution be reviewed.In his letter, Mr. Young noted that the centre "operated in an open and transparent manner" and that, between 1999 and 2002, there had been numerous police officers who investigated the centre and determined that the laying of criminal charges was not warranted."I am asking that you intervene to stay proceedings because the continuation of this prosecution reflects poorly on the integrity of your department," he wrote.By 2002, the centre was servicing over 1,200 individuals who had letters from their physicians saying they required the drug.The charges were laid after Mr. Hitzig, who acted as director of the centre, was party to a lawsuit alleging the country's marijuana access regulations were too restrictive. It argued that Ottawa had not made available a lawful source of marijuana available despite the regulations saying it would be made available to those who qualified.The lawsuit requested that the courts compel Ottawa to distribute marijuana that was being grown under a federal contract. Eventually, the federal government did so, although there are still many complaints about the ease with which individuals can access it. From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Brian LaghiPublished: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 Copyright: 2004 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Toronto Compassion Centre http://www.torontocompassioncentre.org/Crown Presses Case Against Pot Clubhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15309.shtmlCompassion Centre's Future Unclear http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13766.shtmlRaid Hurt The Sick: Pot Activisthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13752.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Marc Paquette on January 28, 2004 at 08:26:44 PT:
THIS WIN WILL CREATE ALOT OF PRECEDENTS!
Hi kaptinemo :o);Thanks for your reply. It's too bad that these replies will be censored from medias. Maybe you could help? Medias turned away from me when I used to be in Turmel's camp after a while, and even if he's not in my picture anymore, it didn't change much.Very interesting LOL..Does the Crown realize the consequences of what they have done? If he was legal to supply and sell marijuana to some Exemptees, but mostly to other ill people that only had a doctor's letter...the whole "raison d'etre" (reason to exist) of Health "Hell" Canada's MMAR program is senseless and in peril. The Crown probably didn't realize that by clearing Warren Hitzig of his charges, it made it also OK for ALL is ill (customer-patients) to consume medical marijuana legally...Exemption or NOT!Peace,Marc
http://www.medpot.net
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Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on January 28, 2004 at 07:36:21 PT:
Marc has asked a key question
And it goes straight to the heart of the matter. Forcing people to go through such insane bureaucratic hoops in acquiring their medicine in the name of 'saving' them from chimerical dangers to their health - when the REAL danger results from lack of medicine - is patently criminal.But many have not even gone through the exemption process. They got their meds, anyway. As Marc asks, what was the point?In a nutshell: to dissuade people from applying for fear of burdening the system, not serving their needs. THAT was apparent from the beginning. And all so unnecessary...  
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Comment #5 posted by Marc Paquette on January 28, 2004 at 06:51:41 PT:
THIS WIN WILL CREATE ALOT OF PRECEDENTS!
Hi my Friends; :o)I'm very happy for Warren Hitzig and his loved ones! Just for the fact that he won this, what's the use of getting a medical marijuana Exemption? He was selling to sick people with a letter from their doctor as the article stipulates. They didn't ALL have Exemptions. So, if he's legal now, ALL other sick people are LEGAL to consume it also..right? This also means that authorized growers at Health "Hell" Canada have a growing permit for nothing..right? This is getting pretty confusing!Peace,Marc 
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Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on January 28, 2004 at 06:09:57 PT:
From hairline cracks to fissures
The dropping of this case is a quiet, poorly disguised signal of defeat being raised from the anti barricades. To have proceeded with their prosecution would have ended in disaster for the Grits and would have become a major political cudgel to be held over their heads by the Canadian Alliance and the NDP.The Liberal Party up there really, REALLY wants to avoid the regional/national stink being produced by the Basi Incident in BC Province. They can't afford the slightest sniff of impropriety now, nor hypocrisy or lack of sensitivity to the majority of their riderships, that favor some form of decrim. Going after Mr. Hitzig and the rest would be such a move, and the Grit leadership know it.Maybe we'll have a warmer Spring than usual in Ottawa?
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Comment #3 posted by Kegan on January 28, 2004 at 02:28:12 PT
Ottawa Soon
This is a major victory! Ottawa will have an office soon, now that this sets the precedent!
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 27, 2004 at 22:58:32 PT
Just a Note
I archived a few articles today and wanted to make sure you wouldn't miss reading them if you want. I believe most people know that I archive articles but this is for those that might not know. 
CNews Archived Articles
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 27, 2004 at 22:37:06 PT
Good News
This is good news!
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