OSHAWA CANNABIS DAY LIGHTS UP MEMORIAL PARK JULY 1

Organizers Say Second Annual Event Better Planned After Last Year's
Controversy

OSHAWA -- Like many people, Ben Fudge starts his day with a coffee and
a smoke. But, it's not a nicotine hit he's after when he lights up
first thing in the morning.

The Oshawa man has been using medical marijuana for years to help
manage chronic pain, after being hit by a truck when he was younger.
Canes and a scooter help him get around, but he says it's pot that
really makes him mobile.

"When I got up this morning, I was really stiff, I was in a lot of
pain and could hardly move," he says. "I'm not one of those people who
can take opiates or drugs like that for pain, they make me really
sick. This is what works for me."

Mr. Fudge has a federal exemption card that makes it legal for him to
smoke pot, but he often encounters friction from police and unpleasant
stares or comments from the public.

Educating people about the many medical benefits of marijuana is one
of the reasons Mr. Fudge and other members of Oshawa's cannabis
community are busy planning the second annual Oshawa Cannabis Day for
July 1.

Organizers are hoping up to 200 people turn up at Memorial Park for
the event, which Mr. Fudge says is better planned after organizers
encountered a few snags last year. The inaugural Oshawa Cannabis Day
was held on July 1, 2009, attracting about 20 participants and more
than its share of controversy.

Initial plans to hold the event at Lakeview Park -- the same location
as the City's Canada Day event -- raised the ire of city councillors.
Organizers made a last-minute move to Alexandra Park, where they were
met with a dozen police officers, three cruisers and a prisoner
transport vehicle waiting on stand-by. Police gave the group 15
minutes to disperse or face arrest, saying they didn't have a permit
to use the park.

This time, organizers have cleared use of Memorial Park with City and
police officials, and say they want the day to be peaceful and
educational.

"We are not encouraging teenagers to come out and smoke pot in the
park, that is not what this is about," said Mr. Fudge, noting alcohol
and tents are not allowed at the event. "We're going to be picking up
litter in the park and talking to people and just having a good time."

In addition to raising awareness of pot's medical uses -- which
include pain control, reducing nausea for those undergoing
chemotherapy and relieving anxiety -- Cannabis Day organizers also
hope to open a dialogue about decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana.

Rina Green, who plans to attend Oshawa Cannabis Day, says legalization
would create revenue for the federal government, prevent underage kids
from getting their hands on pot and take it out of the hands of drug
dealers.

"It would also maybe get rid of some of the myths, people need to be
more educated and not think of this as a demon drug," she said.

Marko Ivancicevic, who has a federal exemption card, would like to see
the medical community do more to educate itself about marijuana.

"Across Canada, there are at least 500,000 people who qualify for an
exemption, but only about 5,000 people have it. It's because doctors
are not educated, it's often the patient who has to suggest it," he
said.

Oshawa Cannabis Day 2010 gets underway at 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 1
in Memorial Park, located in downtown Oshawa. For more information,
search for "Oshawa Cannabis Day" on Facebook.