Police target medical marijuana
RCMP intends to charge patients and grower who provides free drug

The RCMP has launched an investigation into Ottawa's underground medicinal
marijuana network with hopes of laying drug charges against a man who
provides free marijuana to AIDS and cancer patients.

"If there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe an offence is being
committed, as in any case, we would pursue charges," said Cpl. Louis
Chiasson of the RCMP's drug squad, who is leading the investigation.

"We have to do this.

"Certainly, we have received directions to do so, so we are following up on
it."

Cpl. Chiasson says there is a "distinct possibility" the investigation will
result in charges against either the man who distributes marijuana to the
sick or the patients who use the drug to fight their illness.

Earlier this month, the Citizen reported on a network of marijuana growers,
seriously ill patients and doctors who advocate marijuana use for medicinal
purposes and made sure those who were sick received the drug.

The article named one marijuana grower, Aubert Martins, and two patients,
Jean Charles Pariseau, who is suffering from AIDS, and Gerard Konning, who
suffers from Crohn's disease, who are part of the medicinal marijuana
network.

The article also mentioned a local doctor, Don Kilby, who approves of
marijuana for medicinal purposes and stated that Mr. Pariseau's marijuana
use has helped him gain 30 pounds and increased his life expectancy from
three months to three years.

That article prompted the RCMP investigation into Mr. Martins.

Yesterday morning, RCMP officers questioned Mr. Pariseau, who smokes three
or four joints a day to stimulate his appetite and fight the nausea caused
by the 30 pills he takes each day to combat his HIV.

The RCMP also summoned a Citizen reporter to their offices on McArthur
Avenue for questioning. The reporter declined to make a statement to police.

"If somebody comes and gives me information that someone has a plantation or
has growing activities, then we have to look into it," explained Cpl.
Chiasson.

"We are certainly interested in the activities that are alleged in the
article. It is certainly a distinct possibility we will find there are
reasonable grounds to pursue charges."

There is a precedent of police turning a blind eye to this type of activity.

In Vancouver, police refuse to raid a marijuana club that caters to cancer
and AIDS patients as long as they don't see children or teenagers using the
facility.

However, the RCMP here say they can't do that.

"It's still against the law and we're here to enforce that, " said Cpl.
Chiasson.

The OttawaCarleton police are not commenting on the case but say they are
not conducting their own investigation into the underground medicinal
marijuana network.

Mr. Martins was unfazed by news of the investigation.

"You can't blame them for doing their job, but if they come asking
questions, I don't talk to police. I'll tell them to talk to my lawyers. If
they have something to charge me with, charge," says Mr. Martins.

"Even if they put me in jail, the wheel is moving. The people who need the
marijuana will get it."

Mr. Martins, 40, has been the subject of prior police investigations. This
spring, he was charged with drugrelated offences after the RCMP found
several hundred marijuana plants in his basement. Mr. Martins pleaded guilty
to those charges and is currently serving a 60day jail sentence by working
at the Shepherds of Good Hope on weekends.

After the bust, Mr. Martins set up smaller marijuanagrowing stations across
the region to make sure he could still provide the drug to those in need.

Meanwhile, the Ottawa case has attracted the attention of one of the world's
foremost advocates of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Harvard
Medical School who coauthored the groundbreaking book Marijuana, the
Forbidden Medicine, is hoping to use the stories of Mr. Pariseau and Mr.
Martins for another book he is planning on the fight to legalize marijuana.

"I can present all the medical evidence in the world, but we need people's
stories to bring the issue alive," says Dr. Grinspoon.

"What this Mr. Martins is doing is commendable and important. I salute him."

Dr. Grinspoon became convinced of marijuana's medical benefits after his son
was struck with leukemia.

"He insisted on using it, even though I told him not to," says Dr.
Grinspoon.

"Then I saw what was happening. Instead of vomiting for eight hours after
his chemotherapy, he'd be asking us to pick him up a submarine sandwich. I
couldn't believe the difference."