PATIENT'S ARREST RILES MEDICAL POT ADVOCATES

Man's Marijuana Licence Had Expired

OTTAWA - Medical marijuana advocates are angry over the treatment of
a Regina AIDS patient who was arrested after his pot licence expired.

Tom Shapiro was handcuffed, along with his wife and son, for four
hours while police tried to determine his status in Health Canada's
medical marijuana program, said an official with the Canadian AIDS Society.

"I'm very, very angry and upset at what happened," said Lynne
Belle-Isle of the society, who has been in frequent contact with
Shapiro since his house was raided on Tuesday.

"There seems to be a broken link in the communications at Health
Canada. We're talking about a very sick man who can barely walk. He's
not exactly a threat to police or the community and he's been trying
so hard to abide by the law."

Shapiro was being held at the Regina police station Thursday while
officials considered whether to charge him, said his wife, Roberta.

She said her husband's licence was delayed because Health Canada lost
his photographs.

"It was absolutely traumatic," she said, describing the raid carried
out by eight police officers, four wearing balaclavas.

After Health Canada confirmed his licence had expired, the police
removed 16 plants from his basement, she said.

Tom Shapiro has been using medical marijuana since 2001, she said.
Health Canada faxed his new licence Thursday.

Elizabeth Popowich, spokeswoman for the Regina police, confirmed the
raid and said it would not be unusual for police to wear balaclavas
or use handcuffs.