B.C. CASE PROVIDES HOPE TO LOCAL MARIJUANA GROWER

A recent decision in a British Columbia court may strengthen the position
of a Cramahe Township woman charged with cultivating marijuana.

RCMP officers seized 1,000 grams of marijuana, 28 marijuana plants, growing
equipment, computers and personal files during a November 9 raid on the
British Columbia home of Jim Wakeford.

Wakeford, an AIDS patient, made Canadian history in 1999 when he became one
of the first two people granted a medical marijuana exemption under Health
Canada drug regulations.

Local grower Dianne Bruce was arrested at her Cramahe home on October 19
and charged with cultivating marijuana for the purpose of trafficking the
drug. Bruce (whose story was featured in the October 10 edition of The
Independent) has maintained that more than 40 exemptees, like Wakeford, had
contracted with her to grow their "medicine."

In a landmark decision December13, B.C. Provin-cial Court Judge Dan Moon
ordered police to return 315 grams of medicinal marijuana, and other items
taken from his home, to Wakeford.

The judge instructed police to comply with his order within 30 days.

In a recent telephone interview, Bruce said she was "excited and
encouraged" by the B.C. decision.

"When I go back to court early in the new year, my lawyer will be
presenting this information to the judge," she said. "Maybe, like Jim, I
can get my stuff back."

Bruce said she will advise Northumberland MP Paul Macklin about the
Wakeford case when she meets with him December 19.