Open Marijuana Sales in Vancouver
David Malmo-Levine has been a busy guy these past few months, and he's
going to be much busier over the coming year if he keeps up his aggressive
campaign of drugpeace activism.
On October 19, David spent a sunny Saturday afternoon openly selling pot
in Vancouver's Grandview Park, while Vancouver police stood and calmly
watched from across the street. He had placed a full page ad in
Vancouver weekly Terminal City, announcing his plans for the Free
Market Tam-Tam and declaring that the intent of the event was for David
(and anyone else who wanted) to openly sell pot to anyone interested in
making a purchase.
About 250 people showed up, and Dave auctioned off the first massive reefer
for $50, then started selling joints and bags for $5 and $10. Anyone who
wanted to buy pot needed to first get a membership in the Harm Reduction
Club, which includes a keen Safer Smoking Guide and membership
card.
One cop watching the event was quoted as saying "we're not about to wade
in there and get a group hug from 200 people." Why not? It sounds
like good therapy and a whole lot of fun. In fact, the cops ran out
of donuts before Dave ran out of pot, and so they headed back to the
copshop, leaving the Free Market to finish up in peace.
The Harm Reduction Club has far from finished however, and in fact has just
begun its work to reduce the harm caused by prohibition in Vancouver. David
and other club volunteers continue to sell pot to club members, and
have even opened their own home as the fixed site of the Club, where
members can come to buy pot, socialize, and read up on the political and
health effects of their herb of choice.
The seven professed goals of the Harm Reduction Club are as follows:
- provide free legal services to members;
- fund education projects
to teach people smarter smoking strategies;
- provide medicinal
and nutritional hemp information;
- promote soft, natural
drugs over hard, synthetic ones;
- teach drugless methods of
getting high;
- create an atmosphere of safety and tolerance to enjoy
marijuana in;
- educate the public about the dangers of
prohibition.
David has promised that 10% of all Club profits will go towards legal
defense for club member. If it isn't needed for legal defense, then it will be
donated to the Vancouver Needle Exchange, the Medical Marijuana
Buyer's Club, or other harm reduction organizations.
The Harm Reduction Club info line is (604)253-6357.
~ Bianca Sind
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