POT CAFE OWNER TO TURN HIMSELF IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUPPORTERS TO RALLY
TODAY

Dominic Cramer, owner of the coffee shop raided by Toronto police last
week on suspicion of marijuana trafficking, will turn himself in at 52
Division this evening, says his lawyer, Alan Young.

Cramer is expected to attend a bail hearing at Old City Hall tomorrow
morning.

The Kindred Cafe, frequented by medical marijuana users and other
pot-smoking customers, has never been raided before and Cramer has no
criminal record. Young said he did not know what charges would be laid.

"To the best of my knowledge it's a case about edibles that allegedly
involved marijuana," Young said.

Cramer, in his mid-30s, was not present last Thursday evening when
more than a dozen officers descended on the three-storey cafe located
on Breadalbane St. near Yonge and Wellesley Sts. They issued a warrant
for his arrest.

Police seized most of the cafe's furniture and equipment and took two
people into custody.

Customers who are not legally cleared to smoke marijuana for medical
purposes may use the premises to smoke dope, but they bring their own
supply. "Anyone found trafficking would be immediately ejected," says
Chad Cooke, a spokesperson for the cafe and a user with a federal
exemption for medical use.

The Kindred Cafe occupies a Yonge/Wellesley neighbourhood known as
Yongesterdam (in reference to Amsterdam, where marijuana use is legal)
for its cluster of businesses catering to cannabis users.

Kindred's customers can purchase a day pass or longer-term membership
to rent time in private rooms or they can use a rooftop patio where
smoking is allowed.

This morning at 8 a.m. an hour-long rally in front of Old City Hall at
Bay and Queen Sts. was expected to draw a good-sized crowd in support
of Cramer and the rights of medically exempt cannabis users.

"It's going to be very peaceful," Cooke said. "There is no antagonism
toward the police."

The police cited community complaints as the reason for the
raid.

The cafe has been closed since the raid but is expected to reopen this
week. Cramer has been operating Kindred Cafe for three years.