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Happy Birthday CBC of C

By admin | January 16, 2011

World’s Oldest Med Pot Club Turns 15

Victoria, B.C.: This weekend will mark 15 years since Victoria’s Cannabis Buyers Club began distributing cannabis product to people in chronic pain. Now the oldest medical cannabis dispensary in the world and called the Cannabis Buyers Clubs of Canada, the group will celebrate its 15th birthday Sunday Jan 16 at the groups headquarters in downtown Victoria. The Halifax chapter of the club, which is still a delivery service, will be quietly noting its 9th year of existence at the same time.

With no more than a pager and pamphlet, the CBC of C operated as a delivery service for a few months starting in Jan 1996 before getting an apartment from which to work that spring. After almost 5 years at the apartment the club’s founder, Ted Smith, was told to get a store by the police. The club has now grown to about 3,400 members, providing 29 food and skin products as well as other services. To join the club, members are asked to provide a doctor’s diagnosis of a permanent, physical disability or disease and photo id.

Police raided the club’s storefront 4 times in 2002 and 2003. Every single charge laid was beaten in court, one way or another. Last Dec one of the club’s bakers was arrested and charged with possession of THC for the purpose of trafficking and possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. Owen Smith will next appear at the preliminary hearing on May 19-20, followed by a jury trial which is expected next fall and could take about 20 days. The club has hired the best legal team in the country to fight these charges, John Conroy and Kirk Tousaw, and is trying to fundraise to help pay for the costs, expected to reach $100,000.

For more information see cbc-canada.ca, email hempo101@gmail.com or call 250-381-4220.

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