Have The Sick And Dying
Liberated Alberta Yet?
No, But They Are Working On It.
(Marijuananews note: Alberta, in all its
majesty, was able to torture Grant Krieger into agreeing to stop providing -- but not stop
using -- medical marijuana as a condition of his release from jail.
See
Canadian Court
Releases MS Patient Krieger On Bail
Without His Having To Promise Not To Use Medical Marijuana.
"The judge said it's not illegal to try and change legislation."
Now the club he founded is being run by other people who are seriously ill, but the
"drug expert" on the Calgary police department says that they "cannot be
philosophical" about arresting sick people. Perhaps they could smuggle in a
philosopher from neighboring B.C. Or perhaps they could just be more responsible in their
allocation of resources. The article below is very sympathetic, even though the Calgary
papers are prohibitionist.)
September 19, 1999
From The Calgary Herald
letters@theherald.southam.ca
http://www.calgaryherald.com/
http://forums.canada.com/~calgary
By Brock Ketcham
COMPASSION CLUB VOWS TO KEEP PROVIDING POT
A network of ill people will carry on the work of Universal
Compassion Club - the cultivation and distribution of marijuana to seriously ill people -
now that criminal drug charges have put its founder out of action.
Calgary police charged club founder Grant Krieger - who has
multiple sclerosis - with cultivation and possession of marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking after finding two pot plants on Aug.25 in a back yard in the northwest
community of Bowness.
See
Calgary MS Patient
Krieger To Defy Probation And Set Up Compassion Club;
Forcing The Issue: "I was nothing more than a political prisoner" -- 2 Stories
Universal Compassion Club spokeswoman Nona Czayka, 37, who has fibromyalgia, said she
and her 40 fellow club members find that the illegal drug alleviates their suffering.
"No one is going to be asked to put themselves at risk by
cultivating or distributing pot in their homes,' said Czayka.
See
Calgary
Compassion Club Sets Up Multiple Grow Locations:
"The idea is to spread the pot around so it’s not vulnerable to a single raid by
thieves or police."
"That's too much of a risk. I just can't allow our clients to put themselves out
like that."
Krieger, who launched the Calgary branch of the compassion club in June and linked it
with similar clubs elsewhere in Canada, was released recently on bail from Calgary Remand
Centre.
He promised the Court of Queen's Bench that he will not distribute the drug, though he
will continue using it.
Police said they spotted the plants when they went to the Bowness home to charge him
with breach of probation in connection with a previous trafficking conviction.
Investigators later raided the house and found more under cultivation, police said.
Czayka said she and her fellow medicinal pot users now are "more determined than
ever" to keep the fledging club alive.
"We're being staffed by the sick and dying,' she said.
"We will continue to take care of the sick and dying no matter what.'
Det. Pat Tetley, a drug expert with the Calgary
police drug unit, said the police gives lawbreakers no slack.
"We enforce the law. We cannot be philosophical about that,' he said.
Krieger said he has given up the battle while the criminal charges remain before
the courts.
"I will not cultivate," he said. "I will not distribute. I have given my
word."
Krieger has asked for a trial by a Court of Queen's Bench judge and jury.
A trial date will be set on Oct.13 at his next court appearance.
Supported