SECOND STORE PUTS POT ON THE MENU

Shop is across Commercial from now-famous cafe

VANCOUVER - A second store is openly selling marijuana on Commercial Drive
just across the street from the now-famous Da Kine cafe.

But staff at The Spirit Within, which lists the prices for various types of
marijuana on a large chalkboard sign by its front counter, are far less
willing to talk about their business.

A staff member at the store asked a reporter with The Vancouver Sun to leave
the premises Sunday afternoon when questioned about its sale of marijuana.

In addition to the large sign, the store displayed a list of marijuana
varieties and prices on a piece of paper by the cash register.

The marijuana -- sold for about $15 a gram -- is provided to customers in
small plastic bags.

The small store also sells books and marijuana paraphernalia.

Unlike at Da Kine, customers at The Spirit Within are not asked to fill out
a form saying they use marijuana for medical purposes.

Vancouver police spokeswoman Const. Sarah Bloor said she couldn't confirm
until members of the drug squad returned from holidays on Tuesday whether
the squad was aware that The Spirit Within was openly selling marijuana.

Len Hewer, who described himself as a regular customer of The Spirit Within,
said the store usually has about four different varieties of marijuana for
sale.

"It's excellent," said Hewer. "I know I'll get an honest weight and an
honest price."

Hewer said he wasn't sure how long the store had been open, but said he'd
been going there to purchase marijuana for about four months.

Hewer said he takes marijuana for various medical conditions, but said he
hasn't received official approval to use the drug from Health Canada.

Possession of a one-month supply of medicinal marijuana is legal in Canada
for people who are terminally or chronically ill and have approval from
Health Canada to use the drug.

While The Spirit Within did a brisk business Sunday, it was not nearly as
busy as the Da Kine cafe -- which has been subject to intense media
attention since its owner, Carol Gwilt, confirmed last week that she had
been selling marijuana since the shop opened four months ago.

Bloor has said police were aware the Da Kine cafe was selling marijuana, but
the force did not have the resources to launch an investigation.

She said police expressed their concerns about the cafe to the City of
Vancouver's licensing department.

The city will hold a hearing Sept. 15 to determine if Da Kine's business
licence should be revoked. However, councillors Tim Louis and Anne Roberts
have already said they don't think shutting down the cafe should be a top
priority for the city.

Gwilt said Sunday she has not been contacted by police, but refused to
comment further, saying she was too busy.

A steady stream of people visited Da Kine Sunday, at the rate of about one a
minute.

Brian Feldbloom, who visited the cafe after hearing about it in the news,
said he couldn't believe how busy it was.

"It's packed," he said. "They're so busy that they ran out of the cheap
stuff."