RETURN POT TO OWNER, JUDGE ORDERS POLICE

Sechelt, B.C. -- A Provincial Court judge has ordered police to return 315
grams of top-quality marijuana they seized from one of the first Canadians
granted a medical exemption to smoke pot for medicinal purposes.

Judge Dan Moon ordered that the marijuana be returned to Jim Wakeford, 57,
within 30 days. The order was made Tuesday after Mr. Wakeford applied to
the court to have his marijuana, grow light, computer and paper files
returned to him.

Police seized those items, along with an additional 1,000 grams of
marijuana and 28 marijuana plants, during a raid that took place at Mr.
Wakeford's home on Nov. 9. Mr. Wakeford, a long-time social activist who
was diagnosed with AIDS 10 years ago, was one of the first two
people granted a medical exemption to Canada's drug laws in 1999.