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Marko Ivancicevic, GR: What do you think about the cafe scene in Toronto?
continued from page 5
MI: It’s an interesting scene and quite diverse between the
I would also note that the largest single portion of our mem- three cafes. Comparing the HotBox Cafe with Kindred Cafe, you
bership is comprised of HIV members [25 percent]. A lot of them have a diverse crowd. Which really coincides with how the medi-
need long-lasting, effective medication because the symptoms that cal cannabis movement and culture really is. You’ve got people
they suffer are long-lasting. Edibles are an excellent form of medi- from all parts of the world that share the same thing: Smoking
cal cannabis for them. If they’re in a situation where they can’t cannabis. When it comes to the HotBox Cafe, you generally get
smoke, they can at least have their edible and enjoy its effect for as the more hippy-type people who love the groovy music and the
long as they need. trippy scenes.
GR: So, in your experience, for those who are middle aged When it comes to the Kindred Cafe, it’s seen as a more up-
scale, normalized place. We have to kind of go that normalization
and older, smoking cannabis is a bit too rough on their immune
system? route. So the Kindred Cafe [owned by Dom Cramer, who also owns
the Toronto Compassion Centre] brings you that. It’s a high-class
MI: I wouldn’t so much say rough on their immune system
as rough on their throat, for example. This is why vaporization is joint: DVD players, widescreen TVs, Xbox systems…the whole
the perfect alternative. nine. It’s a patient’s dream, all
GR: Wouldn’t this espe- in one building, with a Volcano
in each room.
cially be the case because TCC’s “… I believe that there’s a time and a
patients have illnesses that make GR: The greater Toronto
metro area used to offer five
them even more sensitive than place for each type of “activism.” Sometimes
smoking cafes. What’s your
the average person? you need an in-your-face approach, but other
opinion of the police raids and
MI: Yes. One of the major resulting shuttering of nearly
things we thrive on at the Cen- times you need to be cautious, respectful,
half of the area’s dedicated
and a little more laid back.”
tre is being compassionate. stoner hangouts?
We’re the Toronto Compassion MI: Cafe owners and staff
Centre; compassion is literally have tried real hard to give cannabis consumers a place to feel
our middle name. We work with members to find an average dose safe, accepted, and comfortable. Cafe owners are in favor of posi-
that works for them, as well as the medical cannabis strains that tive changes to our cannabis laws. Owning a “smoke friendly cafe”
are best. also makes them a target for persecution from the community, poli-
We also offer a mail order service, so we have the option of
ticians, and police. Sometimes it takes only one complaint to shut
mailing their medicine across Canada. There’s a lot of members
them down.
who live in the general Toronto area who, due to their illness, sim- Due to an increase in funding for the Toronto police, they
ply can’t get to the Centre. We offer this option so they don’t go have been able to increase the number of officers in their drug
without their medicine. The biggest problem in Toronto, when it units. I’m sure that they have also worked real close with politi-
comes to cannabis, is that you’re not going to get high-grade, high- cians that are in favor of prohibition. They’re the fuel that helps
potency medicine unless you really know somebody. The Centre keep the fire burning.
offers a significantly higher quality medicine than can generally GR: What do you think of the in-your-face style of activism
be found on the street. employed by some of those connected with now-closed cafes in
GR: How do you think cannabis compassion differs between
southern Ontario and the brazen actions and questionable deci-
Canada and the U.S.? sions they made in 2006 — such as the vandalization of police
MI: I would say there’s a bit more widespread acceptance
vehicles and selling to underage teens?
in Canada. A recent poll showed that 83 percent of the Canadian MI: I believe that there’s a time and a place for each type of
population agrees with less stringent laws. About 93 percent agree “activism.” Sometimes you need an in-your-face approach, but
with medical cannabis. I don’t believe that the statistics are quite other times you need to be cautious, respectful, and a little more
the same in the States — nor even in California. I think there’s just laid back. I don’t condone stickering police cars — you’re egging
a lot more widespread acceptance in Canada. It allows us to oper- them on at that point and asking for further troubles.
ate a lot more easily than in the States. It’s more of a machine-run GR: What do you think the activists in Toronto are doing
country in the States. George Bush, as we know, doesn’t like medi- right?
cal cannabis or anything attached to the drug culture. So, when it MI:
We’ve got a lot of organizing going on and we’re get-
comes to Canada, we’re a bit more lax on a lot of things. The police ting good feedback from many events. The Toronto Million Mari-
realize that there’s a medicinal need for many of the people and
that’s why, I’d say, a good 80 percent of Canadian compassion cen-
ters have never been shut down — from the day they opened their www.oaksterdamuniversity.com
doors.
GR: But you, just like the Americans, have your roadblocks.
For example, there are high schools in Ontario brainwashing stu-
dents with the D.A.R.E. [Drug Abuse Resistance Education] pro-
gram that began in the States during the 1980s.
MI: Yea. There are a lot of similarities between the States
and Canada. The difference is, as I said, we’re a bit more lax. But
now, we’re having drug dogs brought into our schools and there’s
no real approval from anybody, except for someone within the
school board, I’m sure. It’s pretty sad that they’ve got to target (510) 251-1544
youth just to satisfy some hidden agenda.
6 www.gkmagazine.net
continued from page 5
MI: It’s an interesting scene and quite diverse between the
I would also note that the largest single portion of our mem- three cafes. Comparing the HotBox Cafe with Kindred Cafe, you
bership is comprised of HIV members [25 percent]. A lot of them have a diverse crowd. Which really coincides with how the medi-
need long-lasting, effective medication because the symptoms that cal cannabis movement and culture really is. You’ve got people
they suffer are long-lasting. Edibles are an excellent form of medi- from all parts of the world that share the same thing: Smoking
cal cannabis for them. If they’re in a situation where they can’t cannabis. When it comes to the HotBox Cafe, you generally get
smoke, they can at least have their edible and enjoy its effect for as the more hippy-type people who love the groovy music and the
long as they need. trippy scenes.
GR: So, in your experience, for those who are middle aged When it comes to the Kindred Cafe, it’s seen as a more up-
scale, normalized place. We have to kind of go that normalization
and older, smoking cannabis is a bit too rough on their immune
system? route. So the Kindred Cafe [owned by Dom Cramer, who also owns
the Toronto Compassion Centre] brings you that. It’s a high-class
MI: I wouldn’t so much say rough on their immune system
as rough on their throat, for example. This is why vaporization is joint: DVD players, widescreen TVs, Xbox systems…the whole
the perfect alternative. nine. It’s a patient’s dream, all
GR: Wouldn’t this espe- in one building, with a Volcano
in each room.
cially be the case because TCC’s “… I believe that there’s a time and a
patients have illnesses that make GR: The greater Toronto
metro area used to offer five
them even more sensitive than place for each type of “activism.” Sometimes
smoking cafes. What’s your
the average person? you need an in-your-face approach, but other
opinion of the police raids and
MI: Yes. One of the major resulting shuttering of nearly
things we thrive on at the Cen- times you need to be cautious, respectful,
half of the area’s dedicated
and a little more laid back.”
tre is being compassionate. stoner hangouts?
We’re the Toronto Compassion MI: Cafe owners and staff
Centre; compassion is literally have tried real hard to give cannabis consumers a place to feel
our middle name. We work with members to find an average dose safe, accepted, and comfortable. Cafe owners are in favor of posi-
that works for them, as well as the medical cannabis strains that tive changes to our cannabis laws. Owning a “smoke friendly cafe”
are best. also makes them a target for persecution from the community, poli-
We also offer a mail order service, so we have the option of
ticians, and police. Sometimes it takes only one complaint to shut
mailing their medicine across Canada. There’s a lot of members
them down.
who live in the general Toronto area who, due to their illness, sim- Due to an increase in funding for the Toronto police, they
ply can’t get to the Centre. We offer this option so they don’t go have been able to increase the number of officers in their drug
without their medicine. The biggest problem in Toronto, when it units. I’m sure that they have also worked real close with politi-
comes to cannabis, is that you’re not going to get high-grade, high- cians that are in favor of prohibition. They’re the fuel that helps
potency medicine unless you really know somebody. The Centre keep the fire burning.
offers a significantly higher quality medicine than can generally GR: What do you think of the in-your-face style of activism
be found on the street. employed by some of those connected with now-closed cafes in
GR: How do you think cannabis compassion differs between
southern Ontario and the brazen actions and questionable deci-
Canada and the U.S.? sions they made in 2006 — such as the vandalization of police
MI: I would say there’s a bit more widespread acceptance
vehicles and selling to underage teens?
in Canada. A recent poll showed that 83 percent of the Canadian MI: I believe that there’s a time and a place for each type of
population agrees with less stringent laws. About 93 percent agree “activism.” Sometimes you need an in-your-face approach, but
with medical cannabis. I don’t believe that the statistics are quite other times you need to be cautious, respectful, and a little more
the same in the States — nor even in California. I think there’s just laid back. I don’t condone stickering police cars — you’re egging
a lot more widespread acceptance in Canada. It allows us to oper- them on at that point and asking for further troubles.
ate a lot more easily than in the States. It’s more of a machine-run GR: What do you think the activists in Toronto are doing
country in the States. George Bush, as we know, doesn’t like medi- right?
cal cannabis or anything attached to the drug culture. So, when it MI:
We’ve got a lot of organizing going on and we’re get-
comes to Canada, we’re a bit more lax on a lot of things. The police ting good feedback from many events. The Toronto Million Mari-
realize that there’s a medicinal need for many of the people and
that’s why, I’d say, a good 80 percent of Canadian compassion cen-
ters have never been shut down — from the day they opened their www.oaksterdamuniversity.com
doors.
GR: But you, just like the Americans, have your roadblocks.
For example, there are high schools in Ontario brainwashing stu-
dents with the D.A.R.E. [Drug Abuse Resistance Education] pro-
gram that began in the States during the 1980s.
MI: Yea. There are a lot of similarities between the States
and Canada. The difference is, as I said, we’re a bit more lax. But
now, we’re having drug dogs brought into our schools and there’s
no real approval from anybody, except for someone within the
school board, I’m sure. It’s pretty sad that they’ve got to target (510) 251-1544
youth just to satisfy some hidden agenda.
6 www.gkmagazine.net
