Kharaghani, along with co-accused Peter Styrsky, who was released earlier this month for time served, are members and ministers in the Church of the Universe, a group of several thousand adherents that believes the cannabis plant is the “tree of life” and marijuana and hashish are sacraments that open the door to communing with God.

That forced the court to deal with the highly philosophical issue of what constitutes a religion and how an individual’s religious belief can be judged to be sincere instead of simply a ruse for criminal activity.

Canadians are as good at religious tolerance as they are at hockey, a lawyer for members of a branch of The Church of the Universe argued Tuesday.

Lawyer Paul Lewin said based on that Canadian tolerance, if marijuana is religious to some — as he feels the defence has proven — Toronto’s G-13 Mission of God should be shut out of Canada’s marijuana laws.

It isn’t clear yet if that argument has scored with the judge presiding over the charter challenge by two members of the Church of the Universe busted for drug charges back in 2006.

Marijuana smokers may enjoy soaring moods and hearty appetites but they also can suffer short-term memory loss and reduced intellect, an expert testified Friday.

Dr. Harold Kalant was providing his expert testimony on both the adverse effects and benefits of pot at a constitutional challenge by a Toronto church — the “Church of the Universe.”

A Toronto church — the “Church of the Universe” — asked a Superior Court judge Wednesday for an exemption to the country’s marijuana laws.

Pot politician will miss Igloolik’s Christmas cheer

The Church of Hope or the Church of Dope? Either way — thanks to a big drug bust — the congregation of the Mission of God, Beach’s Assembly of the Church of the Universe had to go yesterday without their daily religious sacrament.

A Toronto mayoral candidate and his wife are facing numerous charges after police raided the Toronto chapter of the Church of the Universe Wednesday night.

Due to numerous complaints from residents and businesses in the Beaches, the Toronto Drug Squad and members of 55 Division conducted investigations into an alleged marijuana trafficking operation at 1905 Queen Street East.