COPS MAY NIP CLINIC IN THE BUD

The city's first clinic to sell cannabis to the chronically ill
opened yesterday to much media fanfare and local support, but not one
bud of marijuana changed hands.

Instead, the inauguration of the Montreal Compassion Club sparked a
prompt reaction from the Montreal Urban Community police and the
Quebec College of Physicians. A police team has already launched an
investigation for drug-trafficking, said Commander Andre Lapointe,
head of the MUC police morality, alcohol and drug squad for north-end
Montreal.

"Eighty per cent of the marijuana trade in Montreal is controlled by
biker gangs," he said. "We have compassion for people who are
suffering, but we have a mandate to respect the law."

"We'll treat this like any other investigation," Lapointe
said.

The college of physicians will be asking its board on Wednesday to
take a stand on medicinal marijuana use.

"We are very sensitive to the issue, and we know doctors are
recommending its use now," said a spokesman for the Quebec College of
Physicians.

"Now it's illegal to even recommend it."

It's also illegal to sell or use it. Only two people in Canada have
federal exemptions and can use the drug.

The club, located a dozen paces from Police Station 38 on Rachel St.
E., will go ahead with plans to sell, co-ordinator Louise-Caroline
Bergeron said.

The club is the first of its kind in Montreal to offer cannabis to
patients with chronic pain or those receiving treatment for AIDS or
cancer.

Smoking marijuana often relieves the side-effects of appetite loss or
nausea associated with AIDS treatment and chemotherapy. Bergeron would
not name the source or price of the marijuana the club intends to
sell. She did say that several patients are in the process of getting
the club's approval to buy cannabis.

But not yesterday. If it weren't for the CBC, Mario Champagne would
not have gotten his marijuana. Champagne has suffered from chronic
back pain since a construction-site accident in 1982 and two
subsequent operations. He said his doctor recommended marijuana to
ease his constant pain.

Yesterday, he arrived at the club with his doctor's recommendation,
but he left empty-handed.

"Supply is not a problem," said club spokesman Caroline Doyer. "Mr.
Champagne's forms need to be verified. Once we get running, we'll be
offering same-day service."

So yesterday Champagne got a ride in a CBC car to his home to treat
his back pain by smoking marijuana he bought on the street.

Since federal Health Minister Allan Rock's approval of clinical
testing for the medicinal use of marijuana, clubs in Toronto and
Vancouver have gained widespread support.

Bernard Bigras, Bloc Quebecois MP for Rosemont, applauded the new
club.

"I've visited the Vancouver club, and I want this one to offer the
same type of services here," Bigras said, "a non-profit group that
offers safe, quality marijuana to people with doctor's
recommendations."

City councillor Andre Cardinal hopes to approach his colleagues to try
to open discussions with the police.

"There's always resistance to new ideas," he said. "But this is a good
project."

That's what Cynthia Henrie said. She owns a hair salon facing the club
on a block filed with restaurants, cafes and bars.

"We're happy to have them as neighbours," she said. "They'll make less
noise than another bar."

Her employee Michel Leclerc said his doctor recommended that he smoke
marijuana to ease chronic back pain he has had since 1992.

"I've taken a lot of drugs like morphine, codeine, for the pain," he
said. "They all have much more serious side-effects than smoking a
little joint."