JOBS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Name: Ted Smith

Occupation: Medicinal marijuana seller-advocate

Employed by: The Cannabis Buyers' Clubs (CBC) of Canada, where he serves as
the coordinator. The head office is located at the back of Ted's Books, at
826 Johnson Street. Started six years ago, it is the oldest such club in
the country and boasts more than 800 members. It sells marijuana for
medicinal use.

Background: Smith, 32, has a philosophy degree from Wilfred Laurier
University in Waterloo, and has published eight books ranging from novels
to poetry. A long-time recreational marijuana smoker, Smith became involved
with the Hempology 101 society in Vancouver seven years ago. He quickly
became an advocate for medicinal marijuana after meeting some AIDS patients
and seeing how the drug eased their illness.

Who needs his services: People who use marijuana for relief from health
problems ranging from hepatitis C and AIDS to chronic pain. To get a
membership card, people must provide a doctor's note detailing their ailments.

Legal status: On January 3, seven pounds of marijuana was seized from the
club, after a complaint from a former member, whom Smith had cut off. "When
the police came in here they saw some marijuana on the table," says Smith,
pointing to a desk that could be easily seen from the front entrance. The
marijuana is usually confined to a back room in the store. No charges have
been laid, but Smith expects he will be charged with possession and
trafficking. "I could be thrown into jail right now. If they charge me this
time, it will be a total of four trafficking charges for me," says Smith,
who is still awaiting courts dates for his previous charges.

Cost of doing business: The seizure, the club's first, set it back about
$8,000.

Growth potential: There is only one federal government-licensed distributor
of medicinal marijuana, in Manitoba, and about 18 unlicensed clubs across
Canada. "We're not getting any kind of regulations from Health Canada on
how to run the clubs," says Smith. "They're not allowing us to have licenses."

Business strategy: Smith wants Health Canada to offer wider distribution of
medicinal marijuana to patients, or to license clubs like his. "Health
Canada has given hundreds of people the legal right to possess and grow
cannabis for medical purposes," says Smith. "[But] they have not given a
gram or seed to a sick person yet." A lack of cannabis distributors have
forced patients to buy marijuana on the streets or go to clubs like the
CBC. "There's no legal source to get it," says Smith. "There's nowhere for
you to get it. People who need it have been forced to break the law to get
it even though they're allowed to have it."

Long-range planning: "The club's goal is to have the government put us out
of business. They should be the ones providing this to people who need it."

Professional expertise: "B.C. has the best medicinal marijuana in the
world; there's no pesticide . . . I've had people who fly here from Hawaii
to buy it."