MARIJUANA 'TEA HOUSE' SET TO REOPEN

Vancouver activists plan to reopen a marijuana "tea house" shut down in a
police raid following a court win in Montreal that allows their Quebec
counterparts to provide the illegal drug to suffering patients.

"As of today, the Marijuana Tea House activities are resuming," Michael
Maniotis said Thursday. "We will let the media know in a short while
exactly where we are operating. We are that confident."

Maniotis' announcement came hours after a Quebec judge halted the drug
trafficking trial of two volunteers at the Club Compassion in Montreal,
which dispensed the drug for medical use.

Robert Marchi, a lawyer representing the federal government at the trial,
said the stay of proceedings "is tantamount to an acquittal."

Quebec court Judge Gilles Cadieux said the absence of a legal source of
marijuana takes away the right to life and liberty for those who need it.
He also said he wouldn't rule on the constitutionality of marijuana laws.

Montreal activists immediately set up an Internet site that takes orders
for medicinal marijuana for delivery across Canada via the post office.

In Vancouver last January, police raided the Merlin Project Marijuana Tea
House on West Pender, just a few weeks into its operation. They said people
without Health Canada exemptions were smoking marijuana.

Maniotis was charged with one count of possession of marijuana for the
purpose of trafficking. Yoram Adler was charged with two counts of
trafficking in marijuana and one count of possession of marijuana for the
purpose of trafficking. Maniotis said the cases are still before the
courts, but he expects B.C. will follow the Quebec judge's decision.