My sentencing hearing begins today – 222 Main St. @ 9:30 am
Press Release
Cannabis Activist David Malmo-Levine to be sentenced – faces year in jail for herbal crimes!
Wednesday Sept. 30th, Thursday Oct. 1st and Friday Oct. 2nd, 2009
At the Courthouse at 222 Main St., starting at 9:30 AM each day.
David Malmo-Levine, one of Canada’s most prominent cannabis activists, is having a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis, hashish and magic mushrooms for the purposes of trafficking.
On February 20th, 2008, the Vancouver Police Department raided Malmo-Levine’s organization – The Vancouver School of Drugwar History and Organic Cultivation, otherwise known as the Herb School. Malmo-Levine and four others were arrested and charged. Mr. Malmo-Levine pleaded guilty in part to allow his co-accused to have their charges stayed.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30th, the Crown will call in a police witness to make it appear as though David is a harmful criminal worthy of punishment.
On Thursday, Oct. 1st, David will call Dr. Lester Grinspoon of Harvard Medical School to explain that cannabis is a relatively harmless and helpful medicine that both sick and healthy people can use to their benefit if it is distributed and used properly.
On Friday, Oct. 2nd, Mr. Malmo-Levine and his lawyer Ms. Natalie Dunbar of Pivot Legal will make their arguments that Mr. Malmo-Levine should not be punished for his actions – supplying non-lethal, non-toxic herbs next door to the Insite – the supervised injection site. Mr. Malmo-Levine feels he was providing a much needed service, helping people obtain good quality herbs at a fair price to deal with their stress, depression, fatigue (or more serious medical conditions) while encouraging people to stay away from more toxic drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth and caffeine. Mr. Malmo-Levine put the profits from the Herb School into efforts to re-legalize cannabis and to support poor people, young people and artists within the community. Mr. Malmo-Levine maintains that he is harmless, and the drug war is the actual crime.
The Crown has not provided a sentencing position but Mr. Malmo-Levine’s lawyer suspects they will be asking for at least one year in prison.
