MARIJUANA IN JAIL? NEVER!

It's common knowledge that drugs are readily available in Canada's prisons
- unless you have a prescription. Michael Patriquen, leader of Nova
Scotia's Marijuana party and past federal candidate, has a doctor's
prescription and a Health Canada permit for medicinal marijuana to help
with chronic pain stemming from a 1999 car accident. But he's also serving
a six-year prison sentence for various marijuana offences and Corrections
Canada has a strict 'no way' policy about handing out marijuana to prisoners.

"There is still no legal supply (of marijuana) available," explained prison
spokeswoman Lynn Chaplin.

They offered Patriquen synthetic THC pills but he refused on the advice of
other doctors. Another prison doctor offered opiates, which he also
refused. "I told him that I didn't want a drug problem on top of everything
else. They're highly addictive."

So Patriquen is doing something relatively novel: He's taking his jailor to
court. The case has drawn the attention of millionaire marijuana activist
Marc Emery, who will help bankroll the action. Emery has provided major
funding for almost every pro-pot effort in North America, including
numerous court challenges. One is heading for the Supreme Court later this
spring, which could remove Canada's marijuana prohibition altogether.

John Conroy of Abbotsford, B.C., an expert in cannabis and penal law, has
been hired to handle Patriquen's case. In the late '60s Conroy founded the
Canadian chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws (NORML).

Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, who wants marijuana legalized, says
Patriquen's rights are being ignored. "He's entitled to get marijuana no
matter where he is in Canada," Nolin says.

Canada's Solicitor-General Wayne Easter disagrees. "We don't want to go
down that route... if you are in prison you're not there to smoke
marijuana," he said.

That's for the court to decide.