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Marijuana promoter targeted by police, witness testifies

By Hempology | January 14, 2005

BY RICHARD WATTS Times Colonist staff

Ted Smith, Victorias self-appointed champion of marijuana, was singled out by police for arrest because of his political views, a provincial court judge heard Monday.

Dorothy Annette Bushby testified she and Smith drove to a pro-marijuana rally at the University of Victoria on Nov. 8, 2000. Smith spoke and then lit up joints and passed them around, as did others. But Bushby, who testified she also lit up and passed around joints, said after the rally plain-clothes police officers moved in and arrested Smith.
It was pretty obvious to me he was being targeted. He was speaking about what he believed in, she testified.
Smith is on trial for trafficking marijuana and possession for the purpose of trafficking marijuana. His case is being heard by provincial court Judge Judith Kay.
Police officers who arrested Smith that day testified they were investigating a complaint and assigned to observe Smith and take appropriate action. I simply did as I was instructed by my supervisor, said Saanich Const. Dean Jantzen.
Const. Philip Richmond, now of Victoria police, said he remembers seeing about 40 people at the rally. But Richmond said he saw only Smith light up marijuana joints and pass them around. The charge against Smith was largely motivated by police-officer common sense.
Smith is the founder of Victorias Cannabis Buyers Club. It provides cannabis as medicine to people who are suffering permanent medical disabilities or conditions or incurable diseases. His commitment to providing medicinal marijuana has seen him arrested and charged and even found guilty before.

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