HE'S PACKIN' POT

Defiant Krieger Off To The Joint With Marijuana

Grant Krieger will turn himself in today to serve a 22-day prison sentence
- -- and he plans to launch a lawsuit if officials don't let him take his
marijuana with him.

Judge's Ruling

Last month a judge decided Krieger could use and grow his own pot to help
ease his multiple sclerosis symptoms.

"The judge said I'm able to possess it for humane reasons," said Krieger,
46, who packed four ounces of marijuana with him.

"It would be inhumane to take it away from me. If they took it away from me
I'd be willing to file a lawsuit."

Krieger said he can't afford to pay $1,200 in fines for breaching his
probation from a previous drug charge, so he's forced to do the time.

He said the last time he was behind bars he was confined to a wheelchair in
a week because of the pain from his multiple sclerosis.

Without marijuana he said he'd likely be in a wheelchair within three days
this time, because he's already in pain from a November car accident.

Krieger served 16 days in 1999 for refusing to pay fines for growing and
supplying marijuana to other sick people and has been to court more than 30
times in his fight to make marijuana accessible for medicinal use.

"The government will always change the laws to suit the government -- it's
time for the government to change the laws to suit the sick," he said.

Krieger will be bringing more than 100 grams of pot, or 200 marijuana
cigarettes when he arrives at the Dist. 1 police station today.

He's not sure if police will charge him -- it's four times the amount
police consider for possession with intent to traffic -- or if he'll be
forced to serve his time without the weed.

Alberta Justice officials say one thing is for certain: marijuana is not
allowed in jail for any circumstances.

Would Be Confiscated

"It would certainly be confiscated," said spokesman Bart Johnson. "We have
our own guidelines, policies of what is considered contraband and what is
not, and marijuana clearly falls within the category that is considered
contraband."

Krieger said there will likely be no problem keeping other prisoners away
from his pot -- the last time he served he was in a special alternative
therapies unit.