Thus, the Friendly Stranger sells more than pipes, grow guides and Freak Brothers comics - it sells hemp paper (no dead trees), hemp twine, hemp jeans, hemp handbags, hemp hats, etc.

   Head and hemp shops disappeared from Toronto because of legislation from the Mulroney years which made "promotion" of "drugs" punishable by a $100,000 fine for just selling High Times - see section 462.2 of the Criminal Code. Stores closed out of fear.

   As HEMP B.C.'s Marc Emery told Eye, "There isn't a single other crime in the Criminal Code where the fines are that high. You can bring a boatload of hashish into the country and the maximum fine is only $30,000" .

   Ellins says he isn't worried about 462.2. "In order for the police to enforce it there would have to be a problem. So far, people are coming in, shaking our hands and saying, "Thanks, it's about time somebody did this."

   That includes a lot of people in shirts and ties with briefcases."

   In fact, he'd almost welcome getting busted because he'd fight the law as unconstitutional. He's positive he'd win. So are most lawyers. Stick that in yer pipe and smoke it, narc.

K.K. CAMPBELL

EYE magazine - August 18, 1994