CROWN ARGUES AGAINST RELIGIOUS USE OF POT

Thousands of pot users will flock to the Toronto branch of The Church
of the Universe to join if a court recognizes its unlimited marijuana
use as religious freedom, a federal prosecutor warned Thursday.

Lawyer Nicholas Devlin of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada
also told Justice Thea Herman if she grants charter rights to two
minister-members of the G-13 Mission of God "the very next day anyone
could light up a marijuana cigarette on the courthouse steps and say
it's for religious use."

Devlin also warned that accepting their unbridled pot use arguments
could prompt others to found similar so-called churches.

One extreme he suggested could include religious freedom claimants who
watch The Simpsons on TV while puffing weed in a room filled with the
cartoon characters' paraphernalia.

The core of defense lawyer's arguments on behalf of "Brother" Peter
Styrsky, 53, and "Brother" Shahrooz Kharaghani, 31, is that marijuana
is a sacrament similar to Roman Catholics granted an exemption by the
federal government during the Prohition era prior to the Second World
War to drink wine in church during ceremonies.

Defence lawyer Paul Lewin said his clients believe pot use brings them
closer to God and have a legitimate church with associated practices
and community service.

He told Herman that "Canada believes all religions are
valuable."

Styrsky and Kharaghani were charged with trafficking marijuana after
they allegedly sold pot to two undercover police officers who
infiltrated their church in 2006.

The pair claims their sale and distribution of marijuana, which they
refer to as "the Tree of Life," should be exempted from federal laws.

A decision in their case is not expected until this autumn.