alohaben, I get a big kick out of reading your posts...you'd easily qualify as a Canadian immigrant - dancing bears and all.

For most of my life I smoked pot, probably more than I should have but it mostly kept me off cigarettes and booze. Then I quit smoking, became a military officer and got sick? I'm not so sure there isn't a connection and I'm seriously thinking about seeking out a local Compassion Club on the island here when they kick me out, in the new year.
btw ben, Vancouver Island is often warm, moderate temperatures year round, mild weather (for the most part), maybe a few days of snow that never lasts, people don't even own parkas or snow-shovels here, oh and there are more deadheads than you can shake a bong at! Across the Georgia Strait on the mainland, there is a town that was founded by ex-pats who fled the States to avoid the draft. We do get a lot of rain though and it's not a good downpour kind of rain but a nearly constant, annoying drizzle all winter long - beats the hell out of snow anyday!
My problem is that my wife is completely anti-drug. We've discussed my intention to try MM when I'm a civilian again and our solution is to get a dog. That way I'll smoke outdoors, get more exercise and that poor dog will get walked about eight times a day...even if I have to carry him.