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The420Guy
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WESTERN CANADA BUREAU VANCOUVER - Michael Maniotis insists he's no
dope-smoking zealot looking to put a joint in every mouth but simply a
compassionate man who wants to ease the pain of people suffering
debilitating illnesses.
To that end, Maniotis, 42, plans to open the doors today on The Marijuana
Teahouse, a 2,000-square-foot facility on the outskirts of Vancouver's
rugged downtown eastside, where those stricken with AIDS, multiple
sclerosis or other debilitating illnesses can go to try to stop the hurt.
"It provides a safe, socially stimulating environment for people who are
medicating with cannabis," the veteran restaurateur said in an interview
yesterday.
Maniotis, who says he began using marijuana at age 15, does not suffer from
one of the debilitating diseases Ottawa recognizes for medical exemptions.
But he says he suffers from stress and adds cannabis "does help me walk to
work in the morning instead of slumping to work." Maniotis said the
teahouse, which will allow healthy people to act as "facilitators" and also
use the drug on site, is simply an evolution of Ottawa's move to okay the
use of medical marijuana.
But spokespersons for Health Minister Allan Rock, Vancouver police and the
city's licensing department are not convinced.
"Mr. Rock's initiative deals exclusively with access to marijuana for
medical reasons," said Cyrus Reporter, a spokesperson for the minister. "It
doesn't venture into decriminalization generally.
"(That) is an issue which should and is being debated by Parliament and the
public," said Reporter, refusing to get into specifics on the teahouse.
Paul Teichroeb, Vancouver's chief licensing inspector, said the teahouse
has a one-day event permit for today's opening party. But before the
teahouse can reopen, it will have to get another licence because it
originally applied as a restaurant and now wants to be part health care
facility and part private club, Teichroeb said.
"We still need the full facts on what they're going to be doing," Teichroeb
said in an interview. "We also have to ensure what they're proposing to do
is completely legal. All the answers aren't available as we speak."
Vancouver police spokesperson Det. Scott Driemel said the police are aware
of the teahouse plans to open but refused to say what will be done.
Similar, so-called compassion clubs operate across Canada selling marijuana
to members who have been verified as suffering from one of a list of
debilitating diseases. The clubs are illegal.
Other Vancouver cafes selling cannabis have been forced to close, either
under police order or an inability to get a business licence.
Maniotis vows to fight in court using the Charter of Rights and Freedoms if
there's a move to close him down.
"It's been way too long that people have suffered unjustly for this," said
Maniotis, who is facing a charge of possessing and trafficking cannabis for
an unrelated compassion operation earlier in the year.
The teahouse is run by the Merlin Project, which was launched on July 4,
the day Rock detailed the regulations on the use of medical marijuana. It
has provided information on how to get a licence to use the drug to deal
with illness and has recently begun growing pot in downtown Vancouver.
The teahouse will have about one-quarter of its space designated as "the
medicating area," Maniotis said.
In that space, which will be walled off from the rest of the cafe, and
ventilated to the outside, he said, people who have medical exemptions from
Ottawa will be able to use marijuana. Those with letters from doctors are
also okay, he added.
A security guard will also be on duty and customers must be at least 18
years old,
But people with exemptions will also be able to ask family and friends who
are not entitled to use the drug to sample it with them, he said.
Newshawk: puff_tuff
Pubdate: Wed, 31 Oct 2001
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2001 The Toronto Star
Contact: lettertoed@thestar.com
Website: thestar.com | Toronto Star | Canada's largest daily
Details: MapInc (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: MapInc (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)
dope-smoking zealot looking to put a joint in every mouth but simply a
compassionate man who wants to ease the pain of people suffering
debilitating illnesses.
To that end, Maniotis, 42, plans to open the doors today on The Marijuana
Teahouse, a 2,000-square-foot facility on the outskirts of Vancouver's
rugged downtown eastside, where those stricken with AIDS, multiple
sclerosis or other debilitating illnesses can go to try to stop the hurt.
"It provides a safe, socially stimulating environment for people who are
medicating with cannabis," the veteran restaurateur said in an interview
yesterday.
Maniotis, who says he began using marijuana at age 15, does not suffer from
one of the debilitating diseases Ottawa recognizes for medical exemptions.
But he says he suffers from stress and adds cannabis "does help me walk to
work in the morning instead of slumping to work." Maniotis said the
teahouse, which will allow healthy people to act as "facilitators" and also
use the drug on site, is simply an evolution of Ottawa's move to okay the
use of medical marijuana.
But spokespersons for Health Minister Allan Rock, Vancouver police and the
city's licensing department are not convinced.
"Mr. Rock's initiative deals exclusively with access to marijuana for
medical reasons," said Cyrus Reporter, a spokesperson for the minister. "It
doesn't venture into decriminalization generally.
"(That) is an issue which should and is being debated by Parliament and the
public," said Reporter, refusing to get into specifics on the teahouse.
Paul Teichroeb, Vancouver's chief licensing inspector, said the teahouse
has a one-day event permit for today's opening party. But before the
teahouse can reopen, it will have to get another licence because it
originally applied as a restaurant and now wants to be part health care
facility and part private club, Teichroeb said.
"We still need the full facts on what they're going to be doing," Teichroeb
said in an interview. "We also have to ensure what they're proposing to do
is completely legal. All the answers aren't available as we speak."
Vancouver police spokesperson Det. Scott Driemel said the police are aware
of the teahouse plans to open but refused to say what will be done.
Similar, so-called compassion clubs operate across Canada selling marijuana
to members who have been verified as suffering from one of a list of
debilitating diseases. The clubs are illegal.
Other Vancouver cafes selling cannabis have been forced to close, either
under police order or an inability to get a business licence.
Maniotis vows to fight in court using the Charter of Rights and Freedoms if
there's a move to close him down.
"It's been way too long that people have suffered unjustly for this," said
Maniotis, who is facing a charge of possessing and trafficking cannabis for
an unrelated compassion operation earlier in the year.
The teahouse is run by the Merlin Project, which was launched on July 4,
the day Rock detailed the regulations on the use of medical marijuana. It
has provided information on how to get a licence to use the drug to deal
with illness and has recently begun growing pot in downtown Vancouver.
The teahouse will have about one-quarter of its space designated as "the
medicating area," Maniotis said.
In that space, which will be walled off from the rest of the cafe, and
ventilated to the outside, he said, people who have medical exemptions from
Ottawa will be able to use marijuana. Those with letters from doctors are
also okay, he added.
A security guard will also be on duty and customers must be at least 18
years old,
But people with exemptions will also be able to ask family and friends who
are not entitled to use the drug to sample it with them, he said.
Newshawk: puff_tuff
Pubdate: Wed, 31 Oct 2001
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2001 The Toronto Star
Contact: lettertoed@thestar.com
Website: thestar.com | Toronto Star | Canada's largest daily
Details: MapInc (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: MapInc (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)
