POT CRUSADER JAILED, REFUSED MARIJUANA

Longtime pot crusader Grant Krieger was jailed Monday for four months
on a drug trafficking charge, and he wasn't allowed to take his
medicinal marijuana behind bars.

Despite a constitutional exemption that allows Krieger to use cannabis
to alleviate his multiple sclerosis pain, the judge ruled against the
legal right applying in jail, said his lawyer, John Hooker.

Krieger was surprised the morning's court appearance ended with his
incarceration at the Calgary Remand Centre, his son Ryan Krieger said.

"Taking away his medicine is cruel and unusual punishment," Ryan said.
"He is in such severe pain that in one month he will have lost all
mobility, and probably won't even be able to get out of bed."

The last time Krieger was jailed, in 2001 for a similar charge, he
left prison in a wheelchair, Ryan said.

Provincial court Judge William Pepler sentenced Krieger in March, but
postponed sending him to jail until the issue of how the pot crusader
could receive the drug in prison was addressed.

Assurances that corrections officials would uphold the exemption, or
that authorities would make provisions for Krieger to receive
marijuana in custody, could not be met unless Krieger acquired a
federal licence allowing him to carry pot, which required a doctor's
signature.

Krieger was denied signatures by two doctors, Hooker
said.

"Part of our point on this whole thing is doctors are reluctant to
sign these because they might be found liable," Hooker said. "Now it's
between Grant and the remand centre."

Hooker said his client has not ruled out an appeal of the
sentence.

"He's prepared to keep fighting, and so am I, but we haven't made a
final decision."

Krieger has been crusading for more than a decade for the right of
physically ill patients to legally receive marijuana to alleviate suffering.

Pepler convicted Krieger on two counts of drug trafficking in March
after police seized two packages containing 801 grams of marijuana
sent through his Grant Krieger Compassion Club to Manitoba for
distribution to people with similar afflictions.

Crown prosecutor Scott Couper said at the time of Krieger's conviction
that the government has made marijuana available through the Medicinal
Marijuana Access Regime.

Meanwhile, a pro-marijuana group plans to protest outside the remand
centre every day beginning at 7 p.m., and is planning a "larger
protest" for Saturday.

Keith Fagin, a member of Calgary 420, said the group has supported
Krieger's Compassion Club for several years.