MEDICINAL MARIJUANA CLUB ACQUITTED

A judge halted the drug-trafficking trial Thursday of two pot activists who
were involved in a club that dispensed the drug for medical use.

Marc-Boris Saint-Maurice, head of the Compassion Club, and Alexandre Neron
were accused of possession of marijuana and trafficking the drug.

Quebec court Judge Gilles Cadieux, who had postponed making a decision on
the case about 10 times, said the absence of a legal source of marijuana
takes away the right to life and liberty.

Cadieux also said he wouldn't rule on the constitutionality of marijuana
laws, effectively sending the case to a higher court.

The Crown did not say if it will appeal Cadieux's decision.

St-Maurice and Neron were arrested in the fall of 2000 after police raided
the club and seized 66 grams of marijuana.

The case was watched closely by pro-cannabis and law-enforcement groups
because of its implications for the distribution of medicinal marijuana in
Canada.