MCGILL'S GRASS GETS GREENER: NEW CLUB LOBBIES FOR LEGALIZATION OF
POT

When drug enforcement agents from around the world gather in Montreal
next month, they will be greeted by a protest organized by a
newly-formed McGill club.

In collaboration with a number of organizations, including Law
Enforcement Against Prohibition, Students for Sensible Drug Policy,
and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws,
McGill's National Reefer Association (NRA) will be organizing a
symposium involving former agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA), criminology professors, and a police chief from Florida. The
DEA has been invited to this conference, but has not yet responded.

Three McGill students were inspired to form the NRA after marijuana
activist Marc Emery's recent visit to McGill. The club was granted
interim status by SSMU Council on Thursday.

Eric Rumi, President and co-founder of the NRA, feels that an
organization like the NRA is necessary because the Canadian government
is actively enforcing marijuana prohibition, contrary to popular
belief that Canadian marijuana laws are lax.

"There is a very grave misunderstanding of the situation of marijuana
legalization in Canada. Most people are under the impression that
marijuana is decriminalized. Over a billion dollars a year are spent
on enforcing marijuana prohibition. However, there are more marijuana
users in Canada now than ever before," said Rumi.

With the election of Stephen Harper's Conservative Party, the
government stopped legislation proposed by the Liberal Prime Ministers
Paul Martin and Jean Chretien, which would have decriminalized the
possession of marijuana under the amount of 15 grams.

The Conservatives, however, have proposed mandatory jail sentencing
for drug offences, including the possession of marijuana.

When current Justice Minister Vic Toews was an opposition critic, he
criticized the Liberal government's plan.

"The marijuana bill appears to me to be tailor-made for organized
crime; that is, it encourages youth to use marijuana and indeed to
traffic in marijuana and at the same time it leaves the source of the
marijuana illegal and criminal, thereby in fact increasing the
potential for profit for an organized criminal," Toews said in 2004.

In 2002, the Canadian Senate commissioned a special report on cannabis
policy. The report concluded that marijuana should be legalized and
found that marijuana is not a "gateway drug" and does not create
physical dependency.

For these reasons, Rumi believes it is important that people actually
take a stance.

"The facts are there, but we need people to pressure the government.
We need people mailing MPs, we need people lobbying the government.
The government doesn't listen to facts, they listen to pressure," Rumi
said.

Therefore, Rumi said that the NRA's goal is to mobilize the public and
act as a catalyst for McGill students and fellow Montrealers to speak
out against the criminalization of marijuana. Hoping to garner wide
support, the NRA hopes to exert political pressure as a lobby group,
and change Canada's prohibition of marijuana.

"Marijuana culture is a silent majority. Over 2 million people in
Canada last year used marijuana but only 400 marched in the Global
Marijuana March. We need people to start turning up and this is the
only way to overcome stigmatization -- so stand up for your right and
do something about it," said Rumi.

Starting at 3 p.m. on "4/20" (April 20), the NRA will campaign for its
cause on the lower field of McGill campus. The event is meant to raise
awareness and to celebrate marijuana culture, as well as recruit
volunteers. As Rumi stated, "Bring weed, bring friends."

To join the NRA or for more information visit www.nationalreeferassociation.com
and www.ssmu.ca/nra