Founder of Canada's first centre delivered marijuana on her bike

By: Sarah Kennedy, The Ottawa Citizen, 07/15/03

Six years ago, Hilary Black rode around Vancouver on her bicycle, delivering marijuana to people suffering from AIDS.

The young woman worked in a hemp store and constantly had people suffering from HIV and AIDS coming in looking to buy cannabis for medicinal purposes.

With all the resources at her fingertips, Ms. Black began to educate herself on the topic.

She travelled to Amsterdam and learned all about marijuana and its medicinal applications, as well as the political controversy surrounding it.

She travelled to California after she discovered that people had been operating marijuana drugstores they called compassion centres, where they would supply chronic pain sufferers -- mainly AIDS patients at the time -- with marijuana in a safe atmosphere.

She returned to Canada, and equipped with a bicycle, backpack and pager, she began the country's first compassion centre -- an endeavour that has mushroomed into a 2,400-member organization with a staff of 40 people.

The B.C. Compassion Club Society is also equipped with a wellness centre that offers acupuncture and a herbalist.

"Police are understanding of what we do. It sounds kind of funny, but we're kind of a conservative organization," said Ms. Black, referring to the regulations with which members must comply, including providing a doctor's note and proof of authenticity.

Last year, the centre sold $1.5 million worth of cannabis. The success in Vancouver encouraged other cities to start their own centres. In 1997, a Toronto club, Cannabis As Legitimate Medicine, opened for business and became the first centre in Eastern Canada.

Today, the centre has 900 members and is expanding into Kitchener and northern Toronto.

People who can provide a doctor's prescription are given a membership card and are connected with other members in similar situations. Each person is permitted a maximum of one ounce of marijuana every two weeks.

In 1999, Philip Lucas, now 34, began the Vancouver Island Compassionate Society in Victoria. Sixteen months after the centre opened, there was a break-in. When Mr. Lucas contacted the police, the centre was investigated and he was later arrested.

For the next two years, he and other members of the centre went through 20 court appearances. However in 2001, a B.C. judge ruled that the centre was benefiting sick people in society and they ordered police to return money and items confiscated during a raid.

"We haven't been bothered since," said Mr. Lucas. "In the end, it was a blessing in disguise.

A Health Canada spokeswoman said although police may be overlooking the operation of some centres, they are illegal.