AS 420 LOOMS, SURREY STUDENTS QUIETLY PUSH FOR POT
ENLIGHTENMENT

SURREY - Pot Day or Weed Day is celebrated on April 20, popularly
known as 420.

Downtown, pot smokers gather in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery,
others descend on the lawn at Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

At Surrey's Kwantlen campus, the day might pass without
notice.

The Kwantlen Student Association supports the decriminalization of
marijuana, for both medicinal and recreational use, but they go about
quietly. Take the KSA's day planner. In the April 20th slot, in the
top corner in tiny print, tinier than for example "Campus Closed" or
"Last Day of Exams" it says, "Buy your rollies at KSA Members Services."

"It's not something we publicize in a huge way," says KSA spokesman
Nathan Griffiths.

"The Kwantlen Student Association will continue to sell rolling papers
on that day. It's a small thing we can do to support students like
Robert, who have their doctor's support, as well as show our support
of decriminalization of recreational marijuana."

Robert Kovacic, 55, is a part-time student at Kwantlen Polytechnic
University's Newton campus.

Kovacic, a former labourer who suffers with chronic back pain due to
eight deteriorating dics and now survives on a disability pension, has
been using marijuana to manage his pain for past 18 months.

Kovacic has a licence from Health Canada, which allows him to legally
carry a small amount of marijuana for medical use. He carries the
licence, which looks like a driver's licence and must be renewed
annually, in his wallet at all times.

Before switching to pot, Kovacic used three or four different
medications plus cortisone shots sporadically to control his pain.

The medication diminished his pain, he says, but left him in a fuzzy
haze.

"I was looking for an option and the option was cannabis," he
says.

"My doctor was willing to support me so I made the
switch."

Kovacic says marijuana has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce
the pain, but without the side effects of the pharmaceuticals he was
taking before. The pot, he says, "cuts the edge."

He believes switching to pot to manage his pain has allowed him to
delay surgery, which he still may require eventually down the road,
but at least it's bought him some time.

In the meantime, he smokes when he needs to, eats healthy and
exercises - "walking, swimming and yoga."

"It allows me to operate, it allows me to go about my day and do my
stuff. I'm still able to focus on my work and it doesn't hinder me in
any way," says Kovacic, who is studying art at the university and has
several pieces on display in the campus gallery.

He acknowledges that some people scoff at the notion of medical
marijuana use and its touted benefits, but dismisses those critics.

"They're ill-informed," he says, counting his own father among the
disbelievers.

The KSA hosted a referendum in October 2003, asking students the
question: "Do you support the decriminalization of marijuana?" The
result was 470 yes and 314 no.

Griffiths believes Canada will eventually decriminalize marijuana.
Changing national demographics combined with a growing acceptance of
pot's recreational use and its touted beneficial health qualities
will, in due course, result in more enlightened legislation.

"As the population ages, pubic opinion is going to be overwhelmingly
in support of recreational use along with making medical marijuana
more accessible," he says.