First Cannabis Convention in Nanaimo
by Liam Robichaud
On Sunday, Mar. 28 the VIU
Hempology 101 club held its first
annual Cannabis Convention. A
series of well versed guest speakers
addressed subjects ranging
from use of marijuana medicinally
and spiritually to methods
of reformation of marijuana
laws. The goal was
to inform the smokers
and non-smokers alike
of the possible benefits
of decriminalizing or
legalizing marijuana in
Canada.
The line-up of speakers
included Chris Bennett,
marijuana historian
and co-author of
Sex, Drugs, Violence and
the Bible; David Bratzer,
Victoria Police officer
and member of Law
Enforcement Against
Prohibition; Michelle
Rainey, medical cannabis patients
advocate; Mik Mann of the B.C.
Marijuana Party; Ted Smith of the
Cannabis Buyers Club of Canada;
and Dr. Paul Hornby, one of the
world’s leading cannabis research
scientists.
Bennett spoke at length of the
history of the plant and the etymology
of the name “cannabis.”
He described how passages in the
bible clearly referenced the use of
marijuana and its oils. Bennett
also co-authored the book Green
Gold, The Tree of Life: Marijuana
in Magic & Religion.
Dr. Paul Hornby, who has a
Ph.D. in Human Pathology and
a Masters in Biochemistry, spoke
of the chemical compounds that
make marijuana an effective medicine.
He explained how proper
heating of marijuana is necessary
to turn the THC acid into a substance
which can properly bind to
the body’s THC receptors.
In his studies, Hornby reveals
chemicals inherent in the plant
that can relieve pain. He recommends
its use for such a purpose,
but he stresses that smoking marijuana
is not a healthy method. His
suggestion was that it be added to
food containing fat—necessary
to retain the water soluble compounds—
and ingested.
Michelle Rainey also spoke
about marijuana’s medicinal
properties. As a person who is afflicted
with Crohn’s disease and
melanoma, she has had to deal
with a lot of pain and has almost
exclusively uses pot as pain relief.
Rainey spoke with confidence and
conviction about the importance
of ending marijuana prohibition.
She is one of the three BC Marijuana
party members up for extradition
to the U.S. for sales
of marijuana seeds.
Officer David Bratzer
also spoke about ending
the prohibition on cannabis.
Bratzer is a member of
Law Enforcement Against
Prohibition (LEAP), an
organization made up of
active and retired police
officers who believe prohibition
is causing more
problems than it is solving.
The goal of LEAP is to
end prohibition, not just
for pot, but for all drugs,
and to use the money
gained from regulation
and taxation of substances to fuel
the sectors of the economy that require
bolstering. For more information
about LEAP, visit www.leap.cc
The arguments put forward by
these and the rest of the speakers
were as enlightening to the nonsmokers
as to the smokers in the
audience, and made a strong case
for a change in policy dealing
with marijuana. The Hempology
101 Club says that they are excited
to hold another convention next
year.