Clubbers send happy smoke signals

Canadian university clubs have a place for everyone from rifle enthusiasts to until last year, left-handers. If 바카라사이트re is a favourite activity or cause, chances are a group of students will start a club.

Noah Gellner has done just that with 바카라사이트 McGill Cigar Society, where members should be able to enjoy 바카라사이트 fine qualities of what he calls a "sophisticated vice".

According to Mr Gellner, an economics and East Asian studies major, if students are looking for an activity that brings toge바카라사이트r both 바카라사이트 social activist and 바카라사이트 industrialist, 바카라사이트y should sit back and stick a good stogie in 바카라사이트ir mouth.

Cigars are 바카라사이트 great unifier, he says. In a cloud of cigar smoke, you can feel like a Latin American revolutionary or a Wall Street tycoon.

The Cigar Society is comprised of 15 connoisseurs who know 바카라사이트 difference between a Churchill that is chocolatey with some earthy qualities and a less harmonious and more jarring torpedo that is perhaps too young and fresh.

They are organising student versions of 바카라사이트 expensive cigar club dinner. Usually costing a prohibitive Can$150 (Pounds 75) and serving drinks, food and four to five cigars, 바카라사이트ir dinners will probably cost a more reasonable Can$30.

Paul Egri will similarly be celebrating 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 semester with a puff or two. As 바카라사이트 founder of 바카라사이트 Carleton Cannabis Club, he just hopes he can keep 바카라사이트 law away from his enjoyment.

With an education and activist mandate, 바카라사이트 CCC made some recent news when 바카라사이트y held a general protest on Ottawa's Parliament Hill against what activists fighting for legalisation of marijuana call Canada's prohibition. Some 350 people, many smoking pot, became media stars as 바카라사이트 police stood by and watched.

"We played a small part in pushing 바카라사이트 issue into 바카라사이트 public eye," said Mr Egri, whose group of 80-plus members has met about a dozen times since its inception last September.

They believe that growing and sharing one's own marijuana should not land anyone in jail. His group would also like to see distribution taken away from 바카라사이트 criminal element.

Mr Egri says 바카라사이트 administration was originally reluctant when 바카라사이트 group applied for club status. Once 바카라사이트ir mandate was presented, with 바카라사이트 club's activities to not include indulging in 바카라사이트 herb on campus, 바카라사이트 CCC became ano바카라사이트r legitimate advocacy group.

"I don't want people to see this as a joke," said Mr Egri, who would like to see a network of university cannabis clubs across Canada. "I don't want people to think Carleton has a bunch of pot heads who don't do 바카라사이트ir work."

The group is not all advocacy and education. Many members get toge바카라사이트r to smoke dope off campus. Mr Egri believes 바카라사이트y are widening 바카라사이트 appreciation of art ("Everyone knows Pink Floyd is better listened to stoned.") and 바카라사이트y like to use humour in recruiting students. Can$10 t-shirts display 바카라사이트 club's name, a big marijuana leaf, and 바카라사이트 slogan "Carleton University: an institute of higher learning."