GLOBAL MARIJUANA MOVEMENT

Stymied by a Liberal government that dismisses change to Canada's
marijuana laws-saying they would be going against UN treaties and
"international obligations"-the national marijuana movement is slowly
sowing its own seeds to overgrow the rest of the world.

And Alison Myrden is at the razor-sharp end of the hoe. Myrden-the
NDP's Oakville candidate, a prominent marijuana cheerleader and
sufferer of MS and Tic Douloureux-is building an international Rolodex
with goals of launching a worldwide marijuana organization and
movement within a year.

"I'm trying to bring people together from around the world," said
Myrden from her home in Burlington. "It's important to learn what
country is legal and what country is not."

Her networking abilities have sparkled as the feisty activist gathered
other excited cohorts from around the globe, all talking about getting
green in their hood.

Myrden is further upping her involvement by standing at the
international podium, with speaking engagements booked as a member of
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Though Myrden is new to the LEAP
speakers series, plans are being made for her to talk at upcoming
conferences in Boston and Dublin.

"We were created to give a voice to current and former members of law
enforcement who feel the U.S. policy on the War on Drugs is a terrible
policy that is very destructive," says LEAP President Jack Cole. "We
support alternative policies that lower incidents of death, disease,
crime, without destroying generations of our young people by arresting
them. What we suggest is a policy of control and regulation.

"LEAP is an international organization," continues Cole. "It has to be
international if you're talking about ending drug prohibition because
it will effect the entire world. The world would come along eventually
if we got it done in the United States. The whole idea as far as we
are concerned is to take the profit motive, because if we do that we
do away with organized crime."

Cole takes his message-through roughly 260 speaking engagements a
year-to community groups, avoiding marijuana rallies only because
there is little point speaking to the converted. Cole-a former
officer-has never used marijuana.

"We're letting the governments know that we're keeping an eye on
them," says Myrden. "And that soon we will be an international
collective. We have friends all over the world, honey. They are part
and party to this issue. It's easy to have a common goal. Culture has
accepted us."

Kicking marijuana prohibition's ass on a grand, world-wide scale is
fascinating because the people involved are remarkably similar in
demeanor projecting happy, positive and uplifting attitudes-they're
'potheads' on a mission to change the world.

The likeness between Marti DeWolfe and Myrden is incredible, with only
DeWolfe's Southern-Calfifornia accent separating them.

"Thank you," says DeWolfe, when told of the likeness. "I had thought
that too. Isn't that amazing. (Myrden) is a fireball, so that makes me
feel so complimented."

A former upstanding policewoman who was occasionally shot at, and
missed, as well as a musician with three albums and a small business
proprietor, DeWolfe has come to bat for the global team.

"The slow erosion of freedom kind of creeps me out," says DeWolfe.
"This is probably going to sound perverse, but as much as (speaking
out) scares me, it exhilarates me.

"Everything that grows must decline. All civilizations that grow to
become great will start suffering and they decline. Their knowledge
bases are eroded. The intellectuals are imprisoned. The people who
disagree and don't march with the status quo are executed or disposed
of. Those who become meek enough, I guess, are allowed to survive. The
benefit of seeing the decline of the great civilization that I grew up
so proud of and loved so much is that we got to be at the top of the
roller coaster. Of course it's starting to decline! But we've gotten
to see so much."

French activist and researcher for Association for the Research and
Information on Cannabis (ARICA), Aymeric Longi echoes similar sentiments.

"I think the global marijuana movement is potentially very strong.
Only potentially because until now, most lobby their own country or
state. All organizations should federate into one single one for
better and more effective communication. Each and everyone should know
what is happening 10,000 kilometers away in the world of cannabis. If
we unite and turn into one entity, the global marijuana movement can
become really strong.

"This is why one of our tasks is to locate and 'recruit' isolated
pro-cannabis peoples who need some international structure. There is
some need to create some kind of "Cannabis International Agency."

"Some of us have been talking about this," Myrden says of establishing
an international marijuana activist group.

"But we are so focused on local issues. We can continue to change the
laws in Canada, but we have to go global. We can ultimately spread out
along the globe."

Medi-weed clinic THC4MS of the UK has Myrden's story on their
website.

The group distributes medicinal goodies via chocolate bars with a
suggested donation of UKP5. They've also facilitated the licensing of GW
Pharmaceuticals sativex spray, which organizer THC4MS Mark Gibson
attributes to the international activism of Alyson, Lezley Gibson, Biz
Ivol and Clare Hodges.

"We are in the process of setting up a group called Medi-Weed
Affiliation," says Gibson. "Its aim is to self-monitor the medi-weed
services in the UK. It ought to be extended globally to protect the
vulnerable. Any group not meeting set criteria would not gain
membership."

Victoria, BC medicinal marijuana activist Phillipe Lucas became so
inspired by the lobbying strength of the 10,000 member Americans For
Safe Access group that he launched Canadians for Safe Access.

"We needed an arms-length organization that could advocate not only
for medical users," says Lucas, "but for the brave people who continue
to give them safe access to medicine without putting the clubs
themselves in jeopardy."

Lucas has been working closely with AFSA.

"They put out an amazing set of documents that patients can take to
their doctor in order to get support for medical marijuana," continues
Lucas. "They not only outline the legal restrictions in the U.S. but
they also look at the research that has been done. These are condition
specific, so there is one for MS, one for chronic pain, one for
cancer. They are incredible tools. In the next few months I'm going to
convert that information for here in Canada. This would take away the
common excuse from doctors: 'I don't have enough information. There's
not enough research.'

"This will take away that silly excuse."

Perhaps the most frightening response for international participation
came from a fellow we can only call 'Indiana Indica.'

A Canadian living in Singapore, Indiana says that the "situation is
that Singapore is extremely strict about drugs.

"Penalties for drug possession range from prison terms of a few years
to 'death' and can also include caning, which is still commonly
practiced here."

He wasn't exaggerating about the drug laws of Singapore. Indiana says
that spies are "everywhere, especially using cab drivers as
informants...

"My overall impression is easily defined by the warning given on
customs documents received prior to entry into Singapore-penalty for
involvement in drugs is 'death'-and this warning is actually echoed in
person by staff of the airlines before landing... As a result of this
situation, I have been very very quiet about any past or present
involvement with marijuana."