16/10/2007 00:00:00
Canada: Pro-pot protest planned
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Protesters calling for the decriminalization of one of Canada's most
readily-available illegal drugs are planning a massive march through
Cornwall this weekend.
Organizers of the first annual "Walk 4 Weed," which is being promoted by
local pro-pot group Cannabis Cornwall, are hoping at least 400 people
will peacefully march through the city Saturday afternoon.
"I'd encourage people to bring posters, do face-painting, make this very
festive and friendly," said event spokesperson Jason Setnyk.
Posters have gone up around the city, and the event is being heavily
promoted through online networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. On
the event's Facebook page, more than 230 people have already said they
plan to show up for the rally.
One of the main points the protesters will be making is that it's
hypocritical for a marijuana smoker to be saddled with a criminal record
while tobacco and alcohol are both legal, said Setnyk.
The march will include a stop outside Conservative MP Guy Lauzon's Pitt
Street office, he said.
In 2006, the newly-elected Conservatives refused to resurrect a bill put
forward by the previous Liberal government that would have
decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
"To give a young person or an older person a criminal record for smoking
a green leaf that can be grown in a garden - it does seem to be
extreme," said Setnyk.
The protesters will need a permit, however, if they're going to march
through the streets and block traffic, said Cornwall Community Police
spokesperson Blake Paquin.
If they successfully apply for one, they'll be treated the same as any
other large protest or parade - even if they're advocating for something
that's currently illegal, said Paquin.
But police officers will step in if they see anyone smoking a joint or
engaging in criminal behaviour, he added.
"People have a democratic right to express their opinion," said Paquin.
"But it has to be done so (lawfully). Possession is still against the law."
Sending a pro-smoking message of any kind is a step backwards from a
public health perspective, said Carolyn Bourassa, unit manager for the
local Canadian Cancer Society branch.
While researchers haven't conclusively proven that smoking pot can cause
cancer, there are about 50 known carcinogens that marijuana and tobacco
share, said Bourassa.
"It's not what we want to see," she said. "Creating a place for people
to smoke is not something we want to do."
The rally will leave at 1 p.m. on Saturday from the Lamoureux Park band
shell.
http://www.standard-freeholder.com/
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12911
Author:
The Cornwall Standard Freeholder via UKCIA
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