`ILLEGAL' MARIJUANA MAGAZINE TO BE SOLD IN FRONT OF POLICE
STATION

TIMMINS - A magazine the Timmins Police Service say is illegal to sell or
distribute will be for sale in front of the police station for $1 by its
publisher on Saturday.

Not only that, but Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture, says he plans
to file a lawsuit against both the Timmins Police Service and the City of
Timmins seeking punitive damages and loss of revenue.

Three weeks ago, the Timmins Police Service asked area convenience stores
to voluntarily turn in their copies of drug related magazines, including
Cannabis Culture, after a local elementary school student was found with
one almost one year ago.

Emery, who says his magazine is legal, will fly from Vancouver to Timmins
to sell the bi-monthly magazine for one-sixth its standard shelf-price.

``(Cannabis Culture) has never been successfully taken off the newsstands
anywhere in North America,'' Emery told The Daily Press Monday.

In late September, police announced they had nearly completed a nine-month
investigation into how a student at R. Ross Beattie Public School had been
able to get a drug related magazine.

Const. Joseph Romualdi of the local drug unit, said at the time the
magazines were aimed at teenagers, because they were displayed among the
magazines predominately read by teens.

The final stage of the investigation included the eradication of the
magazines from the shelves of convenience stores in Timmins, Romualdi said.
Police conferred with the Crown attorney's office before requesting stores
turn in the magazines.

The magazines, which depict the use, purchase and production of marijuana,
are crime comics by definition, Romualdi added.

``To sell or distribute the magazines is illegal,'' Romualdi had said.

``If (store owners) continue to bring it in, they will be dealt with. But I
don't anticipate any problems.''

Since the story appeared, The Daily Press has received dozens of letters
carbon copied to the mayor and local police department from Cannabis
Culture readers outraged by the censorship.

Word got back to the magazine's publisher which prompted his decision to
come to Timmins.