VANCOUVER CAFE OFFERS POT TO ITS PATRONS

'Nothing Criminal About Cannabis'

A Vancouver cafe operator who offers marijuana on her menu says people need
a crime-free method of getting the weed and she's going public to raise
awareness on the issue.

"Every law to do with cannabis has to be taken off the books," said Carol
Gwilt, owner of Da Kine Smoke and Beverage Shop on Vancouver's hip
Commercial Drive.

"There's nothing criminal about cannabis."

Normally, Gwilt's customers can get a menu and select some pot before
someone goes into the back to get the order.

But there was no pot on the premises Wednesday, Gwilt said. "I want to
protect my assets," she said.

The store, which has been open for four months, is decorated in an Egyptian
motif. Display cases contain multi-coloured glass pipes for smoking pot.
Plant food sits on shelves opposite.

A plate of cookies is on the counter next to the till. Gwilt won't say if
they contain marijuana or not.

"I'm just trying to be a business person," Gwilt said.

"I don't consider what we're doing illegal. We want a lot of these stores.
We want these across Canada."

She said she gets her marijuana from the Canadian Sanctuary Society, a
group formed by former B.C. Marijuana Party candidate Donald Briere to help
people legally acquire marijuana for medical use.

Gwilt claims crime in the area has dropped since she opened. She said
people needing medicinal marijuana should be able to get it in a
non-criminal situation.

And, she said, it will keep people away from pushers dealing in heroin or
crack cocaine.

That's something she knows about. She said her son died of a heroin
overdose two years ago at age 24.

The Vancouver Police Department, which has raided other city marijuana
cafes in the past, is watching Da Kine.

"This is a business that is on our radar," Const. Sarah Bloor said. "We're
in discussion with the city and our hope is to have the (business) licence
removed."

But city Coun. Jim Green said yanking Gwilt's business licence is pretty
low on the city's list of priorities.

"We've not had any complaints," he said.

Green noted there's a tolerance in Vancouver to these kinds of establishments.

"We're looked at it as the enlightened part of Canada."

Customer Andy Kale thinks the police should worry about bigger drug
problems. "This is a great safe inhalation site. I don't have to be
bothered by crackheads."