WEB DEALER SHIPS POT TO CUSTOMERS’ DOORS

[Alfa]

WEB DEALER SHIPS POT TO CUSTOMERS' DOORSTEPS

Coal Harbour-Linked 'Bud Buddy' Has Been Mailing Out 'World-Class' Pot For
More Than a Year

Canada Post has said it will investigate a Vancouver-based marijuana
mail-order business that provides "fast, discreet" service to those
declaring they suffer from one of a host of medical ailments.

Canada Post spokesman John Caines said it would be up to police to say
whether the postal pot operation, called Bud Buddy, was breaking the law.
But Canada Post would probe its use of the national mail service.

"I'll bring it up to our legal people and they'll advise us on what we're
going to do then," John Caines said from Ottawa. "We're going to look into it."

B.C. Solicitor-General Rich Coleman, meanwhile, said yesterday he hoped
police would launch their own investigation into what seemed to be simply
another illegal way of selling an illegal drug.

"My expectations are no different on this than it would have been on the Da
Kine cafe," he told The Province. "If law enforcement is made aware of
something that's illegal, my expectation is that it would be investigated
and the laws of the country would be enforced."

Vancouver's Da Kine pot cafe closed last week following the arrest of owner
Carol Gwilt and seven employees on marijuana trafficking charges.

Bud Buddy (www.budbuddy.biz) has been in business since August of last
year. It describes itself as "Canada's premium mail-order marijuana
delivery service."

It claims to provide "world-class marijuana" -- ranging from California
Orange to Jamaican Sugar and Durban Poison -- that is "always clean,
well-cured, tasty and potent."

On its website, it offers three grams of bud for $35, seven for $70, 14 for
$130 and 28 for $250.

Bud Buddy ships only in Canada. It tells customers to order only via
regular mail or Canada Post Xpresspost, sending cash or a money order (plus
$10 for shipping) to a postal box in upscale Coal Harbour.

Dana Larsen, editor of Cannabis Culture Magazine, said yesterday he could
recommend Bud Buddy (one of three marijuana mail-order websites he knew of)
as reliable and honest. But he wouldn't reveal the name of the person
operating it.

"He's a Vancouver person who decided this would be a good way to get
marijuana to people who need it," Larse
n said.

A Province e-mail inquiry Friday confirmed Bud Buddy was still in business.
"All is well," he replied. "I look forward to your order." However, we were
unable to get a response yesterday to a request for an interview.

Marijuana is an illegal drug in Canada, and its sale or possession is
outlawed except for federally sanctioned medicinal purposes.

On its order form, Bud Buddy asks customers to certify they are over 18 and
suffer from one of a long list of "applicable ailments" cannabis is said to
relieve or treat.

The list includes everything from "anorexia" to "mood swings," from
"constipation" to "panic disorder" and from "cocaine dependence" to "loss
of appetite."

However, Caines pointed out that, unless authorized by Health Canada,
medical marijuana is not supposed to be shipped through the mail. "They
would have to be sanctioned under Health Canada before they could do this,"
he said.

Caines said that both grower and recipient need Health Canada approval and
the marijuana has to be prescribed by a doctor.

Bud Buddy says orders are shipped securely and discreetly. "I use
vacuum-sealing to eliminate smell," Bud Buddy notes.

Judging by glowing Internet testimonials, Bud Buddy delivers what it
promises. For example, "Smoking and Smiling in Ontario!" posted a message
on a Cannabis Culture web forum describing what he received as "great bud
delivered to my door by Canada Post."

Vancouver city police spokesman Const. Sarah Bloor said she wasn't aware of
Bud Buddy, and was unable to reach the drug squad for comment.

But Chris Bennett, manager of Pot-TV.net, said he hadn't heard any
complaints about Bud Buddy, though he himself had never used it. "Most
people around here wouldn't, because it's just so easy to get marijuana
anyways, right, that we would never bother mail-ordering off anybody," he said.

Hanif Shamji, owner of Georgia Post Plus, where the Bud Buddy postal box is
located, declined comment. But he pointed to a sign showing that small
boxes rent for $12.50 a month, or $125 a year.

[Alfa]

CANADA POST TO PROBE B.C.'S 'BUD BUDDY'

Marijuana-By-Mail Operation Offers 7 Grams For $70

VANCOUVER - Canada Post has said it will investigate a Vancouver-based
marijuana mail-order business that provides "fast, discreet" service to
those declaring they suffer from one of a host of medical ailments.

Canada Post spokesman John Caines said it would be up to police to say
whether the postal cannabis operation, called Bud Buddy, was breaking the
law. But the Crown corporation will probe the firm's use of the national
mail service.

"I'll bring it up to our legal people and they'll advise us on what we're
going to do then," Mr. Caines said from Ottawa. "We're going to look into it."

B.C. solicitor general Rich Coleman, meanwhile, said yesterday that he
hoped police would launch their own investigation into what seemed to be
simply another way of selling an illegal drug.

"My expectations are no different on this than it would have been on the Da
Kine cafe," he said referring to the Vancouver cafe that closed this week
following the arrest of owner Carol Gwilt and seven employees on marijuana
trafficking charges.

"If law enforcement is made aware of something that's illegal, my
expectation is that it would be investigated and the laws of the country
would be enforced."

Bud Buddy (www.budbuddy.biz) has been in business since August of last
year. It describes itself as "Canada's premium mail-order marijuana
delivery service."

It claims to provide "world class marijuana" -- ranging from California
Orange to Jamaican Sugar and Durban Poison -- that is "always clean,
well-cured, tasty and potent." On its website, it offers three grams of
marijuana for $35, seven for $70, 14 for $130 and 28 for $250.

Bud Buddy ships only in Canada. And it tells customers to place their order
only via regular mail or Canada Post Xpresspost, sending cash or a money
order (plus a $10 shipping fee) to a postal box.

Dana Larsen, editor of Cannabis Culture Magazine, said he could recommend
Bud Buddy (one of three marijuana mail-order websites he knows of) as
reliable and honest. But he wouldn't reveal the name of the person
operating it.

"He's a Vancouver person who decided this would be a good way to get
marijuana to people who need it," Mr. Larsen said.


An e-mail attempt to get an interview with Bud Buddy was unsuccessful
yesterday.

Marijuana is illegal in Canada except for federally sanctioned medicinal
purposes.

On its order form, Bud Buddy asks customers to certify they are over 18 and
suffer from one of a long list of "applicable ailments" cannabis is said to
relieve or treat.

The list includes anorexia, mood swings, constipation, panic disorder, and
muscle spasms.

Mr. Caines said unless authorized by Health Canada, medical marijuana is
not supposed to be shipped through the mail.

Meanwhile, Vancouver's controversial marijuana cafe is closed, but the
debate rages on.

With Carol Gwilt's re-arrest for allegedly possessing more than a kilo of
marijuana, the experiment she, Donald Briere, and others engaged in by
opening the Da Kine Smoke and Beverage Shop has probably come to an end.

All that is left now is a Vancouver city council hearing on Oct. 6 to lift
Da Kine's business licence.

On Friday, the shop remained locked, empty of the large volumes of
marijuana that had allegedly flown off its shelves in recent months.

[Alfa]

POT'S IN THE MAIL

Canada Post To Probe 'Fast, Discreet' Bud Buddy, Dispatching Marijuana To
Those In Medical Need

VANCOUVER -- Canada Post has said it will investigate a Vancouver-based
marijuana mail-order business that provides "fast, discreet" service to
those declaring they suffer from one of a host of medical ailments.

Canada Post spokesman John Caines said it would be up to police to say
whether the postal pot operation, called Bud Buddy, was breaking the law.

But the Crown corporation will probe its use of the national mail service.

"I'll bring it up to our legal people and they'll advise us on what we're
going to do then," Caines said from Ottawa.

"We're going to look into it."

B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman, meanwhile, said Saturday that he hopes
police would launch their own investigation into what seems to be simply
another illegal way of selling an illegal drug.

"My expectations are no different on this than it would have been on the Da
Kine cafe," he said, referring to the Vancouver cafe that closed last week
following the arrest of owner Carol Gwilt and seven employees on marijuana
trafficking charges.

"If law enforcement is made aware of something that's illegal, my
expectation is that it would investigate and the laws of the country would
be enforced."

Bud Buddy has been in business since August of last year. It describes
itself as "Canada's premium mail-order marijuana delivery service."

It claims to provide "world-class marijuana" -- ranging from California
Orange to Jamaican Sugar and Durban Poison -- that is "always clean,
well-cured, tasty and potent."

On its Web site, it offers three grams of bud for $35, seven for $70, 14
for $130 and 28 for $250.

Bud Buddy ships only in Canada. And it tells customers to place their order
only via regular mail or Canada Post Xpresspost, sending cash or a money
order (plus a $10 shipping fee) to a postal box.

Dana Larsen, editor of Cannabis Culture magazine, said he could recommend
Bud Buddy (one of three marijuana mail-order Web sites he knows of) as
reliable and honest.

But he wouldn't divulge the name of the person operating it.

"He's a Vancouver person who decided this would be a good way to get
marijuana to people who need it," Larsen said.

An e-mail
attempt to get an interview with Bud Buddy was unsuccessful Saturday.

Marijuana is an illegal drug in Canada, and its sale or possession is
outlawed except for federally sanctioned medicinal purposes.

On its order form, Bud Buddy asks customers to certify they are over 18 and
suffer from one of a long list of "applicable ailments" cannabis is said to
relieve or treat.

The list includes anorexia, mood swings, constipation, panic disorder and
muscle spasms.

Caines said unless authorized by Health Canada, medical marijuana is not
supposed to be shipped through the mail.