HOPE POLICE BALK AT RETURNING MARIJUANA - AT LEAST FOR NOW

Hope RCMP may be the first in Canada to hold the distinction of handing
over 51 marijuana plants, back to a man they had charged with possession of
a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.

Brian Carlisle, who suffers from glaucoma and various other illnesses,
recently won his year long battle to have the charges dropped and to
legally produce and possess marijuana for his own medicinal use. Carlisle
was recently granted a license to produce and possess up to 1800 grams of
marijuana from Health Canada.

After crown counsel dropped the charges a number of months ago, and the
Hope detachment's evidence caretaker called Carlisle's lawyer, last Monday,
to ask him to pick up the evidence police had needed for the now defunct
court case.

Carlisle, arrived at the Hope detachment armed with his license for
possession and production, his lawyer, and a number of members of the press
the next day.

That sent the Hope Staff Sergeant, Jim Delnea, scrambling to the phones to
confirm the license with Ottawa. Delnea told Carlisle and members of the
press, all awaiting a possibly historic occasion which highlights changing
social attitudes around marijuana, that he would have to call Carlisle's
lawyer back at a later time when they had received confirmation on the
license from Ottawa.

RCMP media liaison Grant Learned told the Standard that the Hope detachment
is also seeking the advice of Crown Counsel to ensure proper procedures are
followed. So, have Hope RCMP really been keeping all the evidence safe
including what Carlisle describes as "marijuana plants of a special
strain," that he finds best suited for his medical conditions? Sources
close to the detachment say it is not at all likely that Hope officers have
been carefully cultivating Carlisle's plants for the last 18 months, and
they would have most probably turned to "mush" after being packed away in a
plastic bag.

Carlisle says, if his plants have been destroyed, then police will have to
either supply him with "an equal amount of bud (marijuana) to make up for
the loss or the equivalent in cash."

Carlisle's lawyer, Dale Pedersen, who attended at the detachment for the
official hand-over of the plants, pot pipe and grow lights, added that
Carlisle may also be heading back to court to contest the legality of
restricting the amount of marijuana he is allowed to possess. Pedersen told
the press in the waiting room of the Hope detachment that Carlisle's right
of mobility is being restricted for the amount of marijuana he is able to
legally carry is only a three day supply. Pedersen suggests that his client
may be returning to court to ask that the amount be increased to allow
Carlisle the ability to travel with enough marijuana for his personal use
for 30 days.

Staff Sergeant Jim Delnea, told the small scrum of press and supporters,
readying to witness the hand-over, that with such an unusual event he was
going "with much caution" in checking Carlisle's licensing. As of Wednesday
morning Carlisle had still not heard back from police.

Approximately 450 people have been granted permission by Health Canada
either to produce and/or possess for marijuana for their own consumption
for medicinal purposes, says Carlisle.

Carlisle, formerly a Hope resident, however, says he believes he may be the
only person in BC to be able to proudly show off his picture
identification/marijuana license to the press and police.

He recently opened the Chilliwack Compassion Club, near the Chilliwack
courthouse, for medicinal marijuana users, and is also running in the
November 16 elections, challenging the current Mayor of Chilliwack for his job.