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Journalism 201 Writing & Reporting
Thursday, October 2nd, 1997.
Smoke-in: supporters for pot legalization gather to roll a joint
Approximately 300 people smoked marijuana in front of almost a hundred police officers last Saturday, at Berri square, in a demonstration to support the legalization of cannabis.
The smoke-in event was organized by Marc St-Maurice, leader of Bloc pot, a soon to be official political party if its petition for 1000 signatures is successful.
"…We're a new political party that has a sole platform of requesting legalization of marijuana, lobbying for it, and negotiating it in the provincial government," said St-Maurice. He added that "as humorous as the name [Bloc pot] may be, it is actually a very serious issue." In fact, "if everyone who believe in legalization did vote for me, I would have been Prime Minister."
At around 2 p.m. that day, people, young and some older, started to lounge on the grass of Berri square, in downtown Montreal. Many smoked what appeared to be weed, some played music, and a few others said they were there simply to enjoy the ambiance.
However the majority were present to support the cause. "I definitely support stuff life its medical uses, but also feel it's like alcohol: within normal usage, it's okay," said a private high school student who wished to be called Zasu. Her friend Allison, also from the same school, added that: "If it were legalized and the government had a hand in producing it, maybe that would make it safer, because you don't know what you're buying right now."
Larry Duprey, director of Chanvre en Ville, a store selling hemp clothing among other products, is also in favor of cannabis' decriminalization. As a show of support, he organized a distribution of papers to roll weed during the smoke-in.
"I've used marijuana for 33 years, for recreational [purposes] and I find it doesn't harm me" he said. Duprey contended that it would provide tremendous financial savings for the government and the police force, because they would not have to arrest anymore marijuana users, and can "go on doing what they should be doing, which is catching real criminals."
Meanwhile, Det.-Lt. Yvan Delorme, head of Montreal Urban Community police's narcotics section, disagreed that marijuana should be legalized. He argued that "it's not a soft drug, because in 1967, the percentage of THC, [a chemical from hemp plant, and main intoxicant in the marijuana sold] was 1%, and now it's 58%." Moreover, Delorme said he does not believe that legalizing marijuana--which he said costs $10 to $15 per gram these days-- would decrease black market sales. "It's a question of marketing," he said. "The dealers can still sell it for cheaper [than the government], and with better quality, meaning with more THC in it." Delorme added that people might be inclined to go on stronger drugs, such as cocaine, if dealers started to lower the price of cocaine to compete for customers.
Serge Brochu, criminologist at Université de Montréal and director of the International Centre for Comparative Criminology, said in a telephone interview that he thinks if cannabis was legalized, "probably there would be more use of it," though it would not influence the amount of use of other drugs. Brochu compared the situation with the end of the alcohol prohibition, where "there was an increase in consumption of wine, but not in [hard] liquors." However, he said there may be more violence because dealers who used to sell marijuana will try to compete for the market of stronger drugs.
Bloc pot leader St-Maurice, also known as Boris from his music band Grim Skunk, had become a militant of the drug's decriminalization since his arrest for possession a few years ago. He said so far he has collected 320 signatures out of the 1000 required, and that the number was growing as the smoke-in event was proceeding.
St-Maurice noted that while arrests had been made during the last three smoke-ins in previous years, this time no one has been arrested. "It's a good sign of changing times, and of the direction my party is heading."
Det.-Lt. Delorme explained there were no arrests because "we didn't want to put pressure on ordinary people, and didn't want any confrontation." Nevertheless, he said the MUC police's policy remains intolerence towards drug traficking.
According to a chart from the MUC police appearing in The Gazette in July 1997, there have been 2503 drug charges from 1993 to 1996, with 605 kilograms of marijuana seized among other drugs.
The smoke-in went on until about 6 p.m. Gladys D'Souza, a tourist who was waiting for the bus on a street nearby, watched the event, and commented that the legalization of marijuana would be a stepping stone to other drugs. "Would the province be ready to undertake an additional deployment to finance revenue for health care?" she asked, adding that she was convinced we do not know all the side effects of cannabis yet.
But in the spirit of a smoke-in, a Vanier College student who wanted to be called Mighty Ruckus, rolled a joint. He lit it up, and said as he was about to smoke it: "I started when I was 12. If everyone smoked weed, the world will be a way better place. Everybody would be just relaxed, and do their own thing, having their own vibe."
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