FINDING THE HIGHER GROUND IN SAINT JOHN

N.B.'S Pot Friendly Cafe

If you've already seen the reversing falls in Saint John, N.B., you might
want to drop by the other hot tourist attraction: the Hemp N.B.'s Cannabis
Cafe, where you can flare up a doobie, if you can find a seat. Last month,
with cruise ships still docking on the Saint John waterfront, the head shop
and pot-friendly coffee bar was averaging some 200 customers a day. Many
were "just looking." But anyone who buys a beverage can pull out their own
stash, and roll a joint on the big tables provided for just that purpose.

Making matters more interesting is the fact that, just weeks ago, the cafe
became the country's first out-in-the-open, over-the-counter
medical-marijuana dispensary. In order to score, all you need is a sworn
statement that you suffer from any one of 300 or so ailments -- from cancer
to dandruff -- which the cafe's owners feel can be alleviated by cannabis
use. "Just about everything is on that list," says Jim Wood, 34, who
co-owns the place with his wife, Lynn, 30. "And chances are if your illness
isn't on that list, you suffer from something that is."

None of this is legal. But Wood says the police don't hassle "compassion
clubs" that exist elsewhere in the country, so they should leave him alone
too. And while five patrons were arrested back in May when the cafe first
opened, there haven't been any problems since. In fact, they've recently
moved to a new location across the street from a police station. "People
see this as a photo op now," says Wood, "especially if there's a police car
parked out front."