We went from seeing our publisher on the front page of the Wall Street Journal to being led away from his office in handcuffs. Although we've made some significant progress, we clearly have many battles yet to fight.
Hemp stores across the country have been facing vicious police harassment, and Cannabis Canadians are also facing the threat of Bill C-7, the cruel and deceptive Controlled Drugs and Substances Act which was slipped through Parliament on the day of the Quebec referendum and is now before the Senate.
This issue begins with Milestones, listing of significant events from around the world.
To Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Canada and owner of Hemp BC, the most significant milestones must surely be his appearance in the Wall Street Journal and the his arrest that followed one month later. He describes his experiences with the media in Public Exposure. The experience of being a media magnate was followed by the feeling of being under Arrest, and he describes his feelings of anger and determination.
Hemp BC was actually raided twice by Vancouver police. The first Hemp BC raid came when senior staff were in Amsterdam for the Cannabis Cup. The police claimed to be Responding to Complaints that there was marijuana use taking place on the premises. This raid was just another example of the arbitrary and destructive police mischief which has been striking at hemp stores across Canada. We outline a few of these skirmishes here.
The second raid came just before publication of this magazine and resulted in the confiscation of over $100,000 of merchandise and the arrest of Marc Emery and four employees. Details of the raid on Hemp BC can be found in our Special Report.
Hilary Black, manager of Hemp BC, was among those charged and taken into custody. She recounts her experiences with the police and having Full Moon Fever in a cage.
We will have to wait and see whether these raids are the prelude of even worse things to come, but if Bill C-7 is any indication then we are in for a long, hard battle.
When Bill C-7 was withdrawn from the summer session, Hedy Fry claimed that it was so that this important legislation could be properly examined and amended. What really happened was that it was pushed aside until public attention had dwindled, and then it was passed in the shadow of the Québec referendum.
We provide the full story of how Bill C-7: The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act was passed, and continue with What Every Canadian Should Know About Bill C-7.
Bill C-7 makes no allowance for the medical use of cannabis, despite the fact that it has long been used as an effective medicine for a wide variety of different ailments. We had intended on beginning an ongoing series by Leeroy Campbell about Marijuana as Medicine, but because of the police raid we were forced to change this issue's content. I apologize for the misleading cover, but we will begin Brother Leeroy's series in our next issue.
On a more positive note, two significant gatherings from either end of the anti-prohibitionist spectrum took place since our last issue. Although the Eighth Annual Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam and the Ninth Annual Drug Policy Foundation Conference in Santa Monica were united with a common philosophy and similar goals, the two events couldn't have been more different in tone and style.
The The Eighth Annual Cannabis Cup, sponsored by High Times, was more of a party than anything, and thus both more fun and more tacky than the DPF conference could ever hope to be. The illustrious Dr Sumach accompanied us to the Cannabis Cup, and his illuminating tale of Hemp Hunting in Darkest Amsterdam.
One surprising outcome of the Cannabis Cup was that BC Bud took third place in the category of best pot! This was the first time that non-Dutch weed had claimed a place in the final standings. I interviewed the incredible fellow who dared to smuggle his herbs into Amsterdam, in The Adventures of Darren.
There were many more suits and ties at The Ninth Annual Conference of the Drug Policy Foundation than there was in Amsterdam, as well as many panel discussions and presentations with more amazing facts than can be contained in this issue. However, we've included some soundbites from the cannabis panel which should clear up Three Lies About Marijuana that you might have heard coming out of the mouth of your local politician.
The DPF conference wasn't all meetings and networking however. I even managed to have a few adventures, which somehow included going to Tim Leary's 75th Birthday Bash. For the story of Dana's Adventures in Santa Monica and a little name dropping, click that link.
In order to help us all overgrow the government and bring peace and freedom to all mankind, Dr Goodbud Lights Up right here. This time he discusses illumination of a different kind in the second part of his series on growing your own crop of marijuana.
This issue we'd like to introduce Norm, a big friendly guy who wants to help you grow the best pot you possibly can. He begins with some pointers on how to make sure your seeds have a successful beginning in their journey toward budhood. You can learn more about Growing With Norm.
Although we can't answer every letter we receive, we do enjoy all the feedback, and we have reprinted a sampling of the more provocative Pought Thots.
We conclude this issue with the Hemp Commercial Directory. It's satisfying to note that despite the raids and the harassment and the many other unique problems which make running a hemp store such a special challenge, there's no shortage of people willing to give it a go. We need to support these businesses and help build a strong hemp economy across our nation.
Cannabis Canadians must stand together at this crucial time in our history. It is within our reach to actually change the laws that have bound us for seven decades, to undo the wrong that has been done. We can release the thousands who languish in prison because of intolerance, ignorance, and vicious bigotry. We must not let this opportunity slip from our grasp.
If not us, who?
If not now, when?
Dana Larsen, editor