HIGH TIMES AT FREEDOM FEST

Thousands Of Marijuana Supporters At Fair Join March Calling For The
Decriminalization Of Pot

Sarah Saiger runs a cigarette paper company in New York City, Big
Bambu, and she ventured to Toronto's annual Freedom Festival yesterday
to see her product in action. "I really enjoy this event," Saiger said
of the festival of food, music and peaceful protest which was heavy
with the smell of marijuana smoke.

"I like Canada. It's peaceful and it's legal (to smoke
marijuana)."

Medicinal marijuana has been legal in Canada for 12 years. Although it
is unclear how many of the thousands of festivalgoers were smoking
dope for medical reasons yesterday, it was being enjoyed by throngs of
people of all ages.

Police estimate roughly 12,000 people filled the north lawns of
Queen's Park yesterday afternoon, with about 5,000 participating in a
2 p.m. march to decriminalize marijuana.

The 11th annual Global Marijuana March travelled up University Ave. to
Bloor St. east to Yonge St. and then south and back to the festival
grounds.

Andy Lansberger, 32, from a small town north of London, carried a
poster saying, "Grow Hemp, Heal the Planet." He was draped in a
red-and-white flag and green headband with pictures of marijuana plants.

"I like being around people who are like-minded," says Lansberger, who
arrived with three friends. He has attended the march for the past
five years.

Legalizing marijuana was on the minds of many at the event, which
featured bands, a poetry competition, lectures and booths selling
everything from hemp clothing to steak sandwiches, but not cannabis.

"It should be decriminalized," said Sarah, 27, a graphic design
student from Oshawa who came with a group of friends.

Rob, 21, grew up in Romania where, he said, the plant grew wild in the
ditches. "That's why they call it weed," he said, adding that using
marijuana has allowed him to stop taking Ritalin. He held two signs.
One said, "God gave us the gift," the other said, "At least it's not
crack."

For some, the day was just a lark in the park as they sat on blankets
with picnic coolers and watched games of hacky sack. There were
dreadlocks and afros, tattoos and tie-dyed shirts, skateboards and
placards. While police were on the perimeter of the event and escorted
the march through city streets, they did not interfere. Toronto Police
Staff Sgt. Shaun Narine, who said there were 32 officers present,
pointed out the event has a long history of being peaceful and well-run.

"This is a city-sanctioned event. They (city officials) know what's
going on."

The Global Marijuana March was both a celebration of the Supreme
Court's recent rejection of the Canadian government's monopoly on the
sale of medical cannabis and a call to have it decriminalized.

Toronto criminal lawyer Ron Marzel, who represented CALM (Cannabis as
Living Medicine) in the court challenge, said in an interview that
people with a wide range of illnesses from multiple sclerosis to
epilepsy benefit from using marijuana. But, he said, it is difficult
to get because there have been few legal sources.

Angie, 41, who has epilepsy, says marijuana has kept her seizure-free
for six years without the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. But,
she adds, she went through four doctors before she found one who would
do the paperwork for her to get a federal licence to use cannabis.

She says doctors' reluctance to prescribe cannabis makes accessibility
to a legal treatment difficult.