cannabisnews.com: Two Arrested at Club that Provides M. Marijuana Two Arrested at Club that Provides M. Marijuana Posted by FoM on February 10, 2000 at 22:15:38 PT Canadian Press Source: Canoe Two people were arrested Thursday at a club where marijuana is sold for medicinal purposes. The arrests came after a police search of the Compassion Club. The two face charges of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. The club, which has chapters in Toronto and Vancouver, opened last October in Montreal. The club sells marijuana to anyone who has a painful illness and brings a note from a doctor. "We're hoping to help people in great pain feel better," club director Louise-Caroline Bergeron said when the club opened. At that time, the club was warned by police that its activities were illegal and its members could face criminal prosecution. In a statement released after the arrests, police spokesman Alain Lefrancois said police are aware of the need for therapeutic marijuana but added that the law is the law. "The activities linked to a place that appears to use marijuana for medical purposes such as the Compassion Club are illegal as stipulated in the present laws," said Lefrancois. Bergeron could not be reached for comment Thursday. Last fall, the federal government gave 20 people legal permission to grow and use marijuana for therapeutic purposes. But it did not allow them to buy the substance from other suppliers, whose activities are still considered illegal. Most of the people allowed to use marijuana suffer from cancer or AIDS. The drug, which is usually smoked, can relieve pain and stimulate appetite. But it has still not been approved for medical use by any country. Montreal (CP) Published: February 10, 2000 © 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership.The Compassion Clubhttp://www.thecompassionclub.org/CannabisNews Search Of Compassion Club News Articles:http://www.alltheweb.com/cgi-bin/asearch?type=all&query=cannabisnews+compassion+club Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on February 11, 2000 at 07:50:27 PT Is this just a coincidence? Or does this have something to do with the Health Canada 'leak' of the names of those who are to receive MMJ? The timing could suggest so. This is just too pat. First, successful initiatives - and an embarrassing incident where a deathly ill individual reminds them of their bureaucratic foot-dragging and ineptitude - cause some cracks to form in their prohibitionist policy. MMJ is authorized for some, but not all. Then their Federal government somehow violates the privacy of these individuals in the program by allowing their names to be leaked to an un-named news organization. A backlash perhaps, designed to have a chilling effect on those considering applying and won't for fear of similar risk? And now, their gov't(no doubt under some pressure from ours)is directing it's LEO's to put the squeeze play on MMJ clubs - just when Health Canada is supposedly authorizing cannabis use for selected individuals. Doesn't that seem odd? Law for some and not for others? (But then, that's always been the case; money talks, and justice... takes a flying leap.)It would seem that the peculiar form of schizophrenia that afflicts the US DrugWar (i.e. that the left hand doesn't even *know* there's a right hand, much less what it's doing)is beginning to afflict our Neighbors to the North. I sincerely hope not. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: