PRO-POT PROTEST PLANNED

Protesters calling for the decriminalization of one of Canada's most
readily-available illegal drugs are planning a massive march through
Cornwall this weekend.

Organizers of the first annual "Walk 4 Weed," which is being promoted
by local pro-pot group Cannabis Cornwall, are hoping at least 400
people will peacefully march through the city Saturday afternoon.

"I'd encourage people to bring posters, do face-painting, make this
very festive and friendly," said event spokesperson Jason Setnyk.

Posters have gone up around the city, and the event is being heavily
promoted through online networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. On
the event's Facebook page, more than 230 people have already said they
plan to show up for the rally.

One of the main points the protesters will be making is that it's
hypocritical for a marijuana smoker to be saddled with a criminal
record while tobacco and alcohol are both legal, said Setnyk.

The march will include a stop outside Conservative MP Guy Lauzon's
Pitt Street office, he said.

In 2006, the newly-elected Conservatives refused to resurrect a bill
put forward by the previous Liberal government that would have
decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

"To give a young person or an older person a criminal record for
smoking a green leaf that can be grown in a garden - it does seem to
be extreme," said Setnyk.

The protesters will need a permit, however, if they're going to march
through the streets and block traffic, said Cornwall Community Police
spokesperson Blake Paquin.

If they successfully apply for one, they'll be treated the same as any
other large protest or parade - even if they're advocating for
something that's currently illegal, said Paquin.

But police officers will step in if they see anyone smoking a joint or
engaging in criminal behaviour, he added.

"People have a democratic right to express their opinion," said
Paquin. "But it has to be done so (lawfully). Possession is still
against the law."

Sending a pro-smoking message of any kind is a step backwards from a
public health perspective, said Carolyn Bourassa, unit manager for the
local Canadian Cancer Society branch.

While researchers haven't conclusively proven that smoking pot can
cause cancer, there are about 50 known carcinogens that marijuana and
tobacco share, said Bourassa.

"It's not what we want to see," she said. "Creating a place for people
to smoke is not something we want to do."

The rally will leave at 1 p.m. on Saturday from the Lamoureux Park
band shell.