cannabisnews.com: Judge Orders Discharge in Pot Case Judge Orders Discharge in Pot Case Posted by FoM on January 29, 2000 at 10:32:26 PT By Neal Hall, Sun Court Reporter Vancouver Sun Source: Vancouver Sun Judge J.B. Paradis notes the accused man had the drug for patients who use it through the Compassion Club. Saying people who use marijuana for medicinal purposes have to get the drug from somewhere, a judge has granted a conditional discharge to a man caught transporting pot to a Vancouver club that caters to such people. Marcus Richardson was busted in November 1998, when police found six kilograms of marijuana in his car and $6,000 cash, which the judge found was provided by the B.C. Compassion Club to buy marijuana for its members. Richardson was convicted in June of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, but Judge J.B. Paradis noted in passing sentence this week that the Vancouver police department is aware of and tolerates the Compassion Club. While giving Richardson the conditional discharge and putting him on probation for six months, the judge also ordered that the $6,000 be returned to the club. The Compassion Club distributes small amounts of medicinal marijuana to 600 members who suffer from diseases ranging from AIDS and cancer to multiple sclerosis. The judge cited an article in the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association that quoted Vancouver police Constable Anne Drennan as saying that if the club abides by certain rules and regulations, "they are not a priority for us. We are very much aware of the organization and what is going on." Noting there is no pharmacy that sells pot, Paradis said in a 14-page judgment that if Health Canada has agreed to grant exemptions from drug laws to people who get medical benefits from the drug, those people have to get it elsewhere. "The pharmacy in this case, known to and tolerated by police, is the Canadian Compassion Club Society," he said. "Marijuana will not fall into its hands as manna from heaven. It must be obtained directly from growers, as is now the case, or through a middleman such as Mr. Richardson, as was the case in November 1998." The judge accepted evidence that Richardson kept the drugs at his home and took only small amounts to the offices of the Compassion Club because of a series of break-ins at its Commercial Drive area office, where drugs and money had been stolen. "I feel this decision is a really important milestone," Compassion Club founder Hilary Black said Friday. "He [the judge] recognized we are devoted to providing a service to people." She said it was unfortunate that police destroyed the pot by burning it or the Compassion Club would have made an application to have the drug returned as well. Black noted the court ruling "gives a lot of security to growers and other people we deal with. Health Canada has given exemptions to 20 people now in Canada, but there's no supply." Club members are given "prescriptions" by their doctors in the form of letters of recommendation indicating they could get relief from symptoms or pain by using marijuana. Last Updated: Saturday 29 January 2000Copyright The Vancouver Sun and Pacific Press © 1997Related Articles & Web Site:The Compassion Clubhttp://www.thecompassionclub.org/Grower Burning for Pot Fight - 1/13/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4292.shtmlCannabis News Canadian Articles:http://www.google.com/search?q=cannabisnews+Canada&num=10&sa=Google+Search END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by military officer guy on January 29, 2000 at 16:49:14 PT i can't blame them... once again kapt you're right on about judges not having the balls to stick up for what they truly believe...but the job and career i'm in, being a military officer, i can't openly admit it either...the only way i and many of you, is to support it thru letters to newspapers and to vote in elections that support industrial, medical and recreational...that's the only way, until the view of the drug changes...byw, kaptinemo, keep the words of wisdom coming, you have a lot of good to offer to our cause... [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on January 29, 2000 at 14:37:39 PT Canadian compassion, US tyranny, pt.II Many of the judges here in the US do indeed know that the jihad against MMJ is totally foundationless. But, just like all other political creatures, they are not about to risk their necks in speaking out against it *while sitting* (there have been a few judges who have spoken against it, but from the safety of retirement) in fear of seeming 'soft' or 'liberal'. Even though they know it's wrong to lock up sick and dying people, steal from them their sustenance, and generally make their situation so much less livable than it already is.In other words, until the people lead, the politicians will not follow. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by meduser on January 29, 2000 at 12:32:05 PT judges if only we had judges here in the usa that would stick up for sick people. my hats off to you judge for being understanding and respecting peoples right to medical usage. 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