Winnipeg's pot dispensary supporters smoke up at police HQ

About a dozen medical marijuana advocates smoked up in front ofWinnipeg's police headquarters on Monday.

Local advocateSteven Stairs organized the smoke-in, which beganat the Public Safety Buildingat 11 a.m., asa protest against the attempt bypolice to closethe city's onlymedical marijuana dispensary.

However, their protest was interrupted when a truck smashed into five police cars nearby. That incident is not believed to be linked to the protest, according to police.

• Winnipeg police cars smashed, suspect arrested

Last week, Glenn Price, the owner of Your Medical Cannabis Headquarters, said police showed up at his Main Street shop and asked him to stop selling cannabis, citing pressure from Health Canada to crack down on marijuana dispensaries.

• Winnipeg medical marijuana dispensary owner refuses to be shut down

Stairs washoping the smoke-in wouldencourage "adiscussion with city leaders as well as the chief of police to bring us all to the table and have an open discussion regarding community needs as well as patient needs."

He saidthe 225 people who depend on the dispensary shouldn't be harassed by police.

Pricehasrefusedto shut his doors,despite concerns that police may arrest him.

"If they do, well, I'll be a martyr for this to bring education and awareness that there should be alternative medicine," he recently told CBC News.

The Winnipeg Police Service has not commented specifically on Price's case, butsays it will investigate unauthorized dispensaries that are not authorized underHealth Canada regulations.

Dispensaries are "highly regulated" and the marijuana is "regularly tested for quality and for the public's safety," the police service said in a news release Monday morning.

As well, it said "only regulated and tested cannabis" that's produced by a licensed and authorized commercial facility can be dispensed to patients who have a valid prescription.

Police note that authorized dispensaries are delivery services only and marijuana is "never dispensed through a store or personally."

Facebookpostabout smoke-in

Stairs posted the following message on his Facebook page:

"Don't forget to come out and support Winnipegs' only dispensary! 11am in front of the Public Safety Building on Princess Ave. We are asking all patients and supporters to come out and show the Winnipeg Police Service that we will not stand for heavy handed police intimidation tactics!

"24 hours after the "smoke in" we will meet at the dispensary on Main st and form a human patients chain in front of the store to show police that if they still continue to bother Glenn and hisemployees/family/patients .... They will have to break through a peaceful wall of sick people to do so!

"SHAME ON THE POLICE FOR DOING THIS.

"We have started the fight to have dispensaries regulated in Winnipeg, we must be victorious and stand up for a patients access to medicine, no matter what that medicine is!"