PRO-POT RALLY A DRAG

The only bust at yesterday's pro-pot rally on Parliament Hill was the
event itself.

Organizers had hoped for a marijuana-smoking crowd of between
200-300, but only a few people showed up to support legalizing the
soft drug for recreational purposes.

"I can't fault anyone for not being here," said Rick Reimer, who
suffers from multiple sclerosis and is a medicinal marijuana user
from the Pembroke area.

"I didn't do enough to tell (the public) about it," said Reimer,
while strumming John Prine's Illegal Smile on his acoustic guitar in
the cool shade of the West Block.

He and fellow pot-puffing pal Rob Brown faced every organizer's
nightmare yesterday by arriving late and then finding themselves
without protection from the sun.

"I'm getting extremely discouraged that there aren't other people
willing to do something -- even attend a rally," said Brown, who has
hepatitis C and is also a medicinal marijuana user.

This past Monday, Canada became the first country to adopt a system
using marijuana as medicine. The new regulations allow for patients
suffering from terminal illnesses and chronic conditions to apply for
the right to legally grow and smoke marijuana.

Reimer believes the acceptance of medicinal marijuana is the first
step toward legalizing it.

"We're within two years of it," said Reimer before puffing on his joint.