Newsbrief: Canadian Marijuana Party in Unique Finance Scheme 6/18/04

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The Marijuana Party of Canada (http://www.marijuanaparty.ca), which at last count was running candidates in at least 70 ridings (legislative districts) for the rapidly approaching June 28 national elections, has found a novel fundraising strategy: Selling pot seeds.

"We're going to do it to fund the campaign and the movement in general," party leader Marc-Boris St-Maurice told Canada Press Tuesday. And not just as a campaign fundraiser, he added. "We're going to be doing this for the remainder of our existence until pot is legal."

The party obtains its seeds from Canadian suppliers like Willy Jack, as well as foreign concerns, such as the Amsterdam-based Sensi Seeds. Varieties range from non-viable "decorative" seeds to "thoroughbred, Cannabis Cup-winning" strains, and are priced accordingly, said St.-Maurice. Some of the most famous varieties will sell for as much as US $300 for a pack of ten, he added.

The scheme hasn't exactly filled the party's coffers yet, St.-Maurice said, putting total sales so far at a handful of packs. "It's by no means a gold mine yet, but it will come. It's a very political action."

While marijuana possession and trafficking is against Canadian law, seed sales are not prosecuted. British Columbia Marijuana Party (http://www.bcmarijuanaparty.ca) leader Marc Emery has made a fortune and funded his political activities with profits from marijuana seed sales.

"It appears not to be illegal in that people who are doing it are not being charged for doing it," said Neil Boyd, a professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University and author of "High Society," a book about marijuana in Canada. Seeds contain so little THC that the courts could favorably receive an argument that the seeds are not a drug, he told Canada Press.

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Issue #342, 6/18/04 Editorial: Which Cops Would You Pick for Your Town? | Major Religious Denominations Increase Pressure on Congress for Medical Marijuana | Atlantic City Challenges Attorney General, Passes Needle Exchange Ordinance | Swiss Parliament Rejects Marijuana Legalization | All That Is Solid Melts Into Air: Oaksterdam Disappearing... for Now | Newsbrief: Federal Judge Whitman Knapp Dead at 95 -- Exposed Police Corruption, Opposed Drug War Excess | Newsbrief: Canadian Marijuana Party in Unique Campaign Finance Scheme | Newsbrief: Philippine Travel Advisory | Newsbrief: Coca Tea Drinker Fired After Drug Test Wins Job Back | Newsbrief: ACLU Sues Detroit Over School Drug Raids | Newsbrief: Portugal Uses Reefer to Calm Soccer Hooligans | This Week in History | Web Scan: Richard Paey in Weekly Planet, Conference Photographs | The Reformer's Calendar

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