POT ACTIVISTS HOLD RALLY IN WAKE OF ARRESTS

About 100 people gathered at the Richard Blanshard Building Wednesday
evening to hear marijuana activists condemn a police bust at Victoria's
compassion club earlier in the day.

Ted Smith, who ran for Victoria mayor on a legalize-marijuana platform, used
an amplifier to condemn the arrests and told his listeners to show up at
today's court appearance for the two men arrested.

Smith said the men were arrested at the Cannabis Buyers' Club, 826 Johnson
St. For the past seven years the club has supplied marijuana to people
suffering from such conditions as HIV-AIDS or Parkinson's disease.

According to marijuana advocates smoking pot eases nausea for those
undergoing chemotherapy or taking the drug cocktails used to treat HIV-AIDS.
It's also said to ease seizures.

"It's really bad that we provide a good service to people who are sick and
that's held against us," said Smith in an interview.

He said the gathering of marijuana activists is a weekly event that takes
place at various locations, but always on Wednesday. Smith calls the event
Hempology 101.

Victoria police said Robert Fink and Scott Johnstone have been arrested on
charges of possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.