TOKE IN THE BIG SMOKE: HEMP EXPO BLOWS INTO T.O.

A three-day expo, which kicks off Friday in Toronto, is being billed
as the first convention in Canada to promote the use of medical
marijuana, with organizers expecting as many as 30,000 people from
around the world to attend.

The Medical Marijuana and Hemp Show will be held at the Metro
Convention Centre, the same downtown location where leaders from the
G20 countries met just three weeks ago.

The size and scope of the event, featuring exhibitors from around the
globe, educational seminars with doctors and even a hemp fashion and
cooking show, is a big step toward legitimatizing the
multimillion-dollar industry, said event organizer Marco Renda.

"We're trying to educate people on responsible use," said Renda, 50.
"These people could be your neighbours, your lawyers, your mothers
and fathers. They could be your doctors."

Renda, a Toronto resident who publishes a magazine for cannabis users
called Treating Yourself, said the prohibition of the herb has made
users uneducated and afraid to share their experiences with others.

"This expo is a family event. I encourage parents to bring their
children," said Renda, who uses cannabis to treat arthritis. "There's
no marijuana being sold or distributed at the show. Everything we're
doing is within the law."

People from Hawaii, Hong Kong and the U.K. were expected to arrive
for the expo, to feature a 4,600-square-foot vapour lounge, allowing
patients with a licence, to use medicinal marijuana on-site in a
communal environment. Attendees will have to supply their own product.