MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACTIVIST WINS ROUND ONE

SECHELT, B.C. - Canadian authorities have dropped charges against an
American living in Sechelt, who uses marijuana to help him deal with his
cancer.

In Sechelt court on Monday, charges of cultivating and possession for the
purpose of trafficking against Steve Kubby were dropped, and the judge
ordered the return of his growing equipment and the marijuana seized by the
RCMP.

"They were really concerned about our welfare and about doing the right
thing," says Kubby. "And we've never seen that in a court before."

However, as Kubby celebrates his court victory, he is also preparing for
another fight an eight-day immigration hearing next March in Vancouver.

He fears politicians who oppose the decriminalization of marijuana will use
him as an example and try to remove him from Canada.

"They're looking at me as as being a symbol for hoards of potheads coming
up from America and taking over Canada if they let me in," he says. "It's a
big deal. The government knows if they send me back to the United States
it's a death warrant for me."

Kubby faced charges in the U.S. before coming to Canada as a visitor, and
then claimed refugee status.

He was recently given a Health Canada exemption for medical marijuana
because of his cancer.