CLOCK TICKS ON WEED BAN

It might be premature to light up a celebratory spliff- at least if you
consider it necessary to have an excuse to roll-but Terrence Parker's case
has seriously compromised the federal prohibition of the wacky weed. In a
landmark decision, on july 31, Parker- a 44 year old epilectic from
Toronto-had his possession and trafficking convictions overturned by the
Ontario Court of Appeals Judge Marc Rosenberg. In his ruling, the judge
deemed the section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act regarding the
medical use of marijuana to be unconstitutional. Parliament now has 12
months to re-draft the law. If the Canadian government does not write up a
new section in time, possession of marijuana will be, if not legal, then
not illegal.

"The absence of legislation will mean a de-facto legalisation, because the
entire law was scrapped," says Marc-Boris ST-Maurice, the carefully
jubilant leader of the Marijuana Party. "The feds are notoriously slow
ratifying new laws, particuliarly this, an election year. I personally will
open up a hemp/coffee shop within 24 hours after the law expires."

St-Maurice also sounds off against Hydro-Quebec's ongoing policy of
releasing personal details of energy consumption to police, a common
strategy used to prosecute home-growers. "We want to end the prohibition
against marijuana. People should be allowed to grow pot in their homes
without having to worry about being arrested."