HUSBAND OF POT CRUSADER ARRESTED

The husband of a London woman who has fought a lengthy court battle to
legalize marijuana for medicinal use faces charges of drug possession and
trafficking.

Mike Harichy, 47, was arrested after police executed a search warrant at
Boston Herb on Wellington Street -- the location of the Cannabis Compassion
Centre run by him and owned by his wife Lynn Harichy.

The centre was scheduled to close for good after a final delivery of
marijuana to members last Friday, Lynn Harichy said yesterday.

But that afternoon police, armed with a search warrant, arrived at the
centre at 199 Wellington St. before those deliveries were made.

Det. Insp Dave Lucio of the criminal investigation division said 32.4 grams
of marijuana were seized from the location.

Lynn Harichy, 37, who has multiple sclerosis and says she smokes pot to
deal with chronic pain and nausea, said the seized amount was less than 20
grams.

The pot outlet opened in July 1998 to provide the drug to members who have
specific medical conditions such as AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis or
people with a letter from their doctor endorsing marijuana use for other
ailments.

Lynn Harichy said those guidelines were followed, something disputed by
London police who said an undercover officer purchased drugs from the outlet.

"We've been watching to make sure they were going to obey what they said,"
Lucio said. "The first opportunity we had to go in there, lo and behold, he
wasn't following the rules" set out for membership, he said.

Lynn Harichy said the centre was closing because of a recent federal
government announcement of plans for clinical trials on the medical use of
marijuana.

"As soon as (Health Minister Allan Rock) made movement to change, I said I
would close it down," Lynn Harichy said.

She made headlines in 1997 when she sat in front of police headquarters and
tried to light a joint. She was charged with possession.

Her trial has been delayed until a decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal
on a milestone marijuana-as-medicine case that could affect her case.

Mike Harichy is charged with possession for the purposes of trafficking and
two counts of trafficking.

His next court appearance is scheduled for tomorrow.