TWO BUSTED AT MONTREAL'S MARIJUANA CAFE OPENING

MONTREAL -- Police made two arrests yesterday as dozens of people celebrated
the opening of a pot cafe by passing around joints and breathing in air
thick with marijuana smoke.

Several police officers from a station less than a block away squeezed into
Chez Marijane and arrested two men who were holding joints, said Hugo
St-Onge, president of the Bloc Pot party.

"To tell you the truth, I'm surprised," St-Onge said when reached on his
cellphone at the police station where he was helping the two men, aged 26
and 51. "It's a waste of their time, a waste of money. But it's simple
possession and it's illegal." One of the men arrested has multiple
sclerosis, he added.

The cafe does not sell pot but people can bring their own to smoke, said
St-Onge, who called the day a success despite the arrests.

"Only about two or three people left because of the police; the rest are
still there."

Before police arrived, customers and cafe volunteers sipped coffee, passed
joints and revelled in having a place where they could congregate to smoke
dope.

Serge Granger said not even the cold, snowy weather could keep him away.

"We need transparency when it comes to drugs," he said, cradling his
14-month-old daughter in his arms.

"Drugs need to be out in the open if we are going to deal with the problem."

Antoine Debast, 23, peered through the thick haze of smoke at the cafe's
hustle and bustle and described the atmosphere as "more like a rave than a
cafe."

Police had the cafe under suveillence all afternoon. A police spokesman
would not say why they decided to go in when they did or if they would
return today.

"I can't comment on that but the cafe will be visited in a regular fashion
in order to enforce the law," Const. Michel Kriaa said.

Police said two children, aged between two and five, were present when they
entered. Quebec's child-protection agency was informed.