T
The420Guy
Guest
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2000
Source: Trail Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 Sterling Newspapers Ltd.
Contact: trailtimes@netidea.com
Author: Gray Miles
CANNABIS COMPASSION CLUB OPENS
NELSON - A Nelson man who has a herniated disk in his back and buys marijuana to relieve
to his pain has found a new source: the newly-opened Nelson Cannabis Compassion Club.
"I feel they preform a valuable service to the community. Instead of people basing their
reactions to the medical usage of pot on hysteria and past stereotypes, we need to look at the
medical benefits,' said the man, who did not want to be identified.
The man said he suffers both from severe pain and muscle spasms, and finds the effects of
marijuana beneficial.
"It enables me to get on with my life,' he said.
Phil McMillan is the coordinator of the club. From a cramped downtown office, he sells pot
to patients over the counter, an act which is still technically illegal. But far from being
concerned about arrest, he wants to reach out to Nelson City Police in an unusual way.
"I'm wanting to connect with the police - I want a liaison officer to work with me on this, so
that if they pull over someone with marijuana and see identification issued by me, they won't
arrest anybody, and they'll return any pot they seize, because it would be cruel not to,' said
McMillan.
McMillan, who was a social worker in Vancouver for eight years before moving to Nelson, is
the founder and on the board of directors of the club, an organization that exists to provide
marijuana to those who suffer from illnesses whose symptoms are eased by the use of the
drug.
The club sells pot out of it's recently opened downtown Nelson office for $20-30 per eighth
of an ounce to those who can provide a doctor's note saying they suffer from a medical
condition.
McMillan says he has operated the club underground for two years but only opened the office
six weeks ago.
Inspector Dan Maluta, however, of the Nelson City Police is wary the new organization.
"Why do you think they contacted your paper to begin with? They want to make a case for
the legitimization of a banned, illegal substance. Their ultimate aim is to legalize marijuana for
mind-altering use," said Maluta.
McMillan disagrees. He divides marijuana use into two clear camps which he says are not
linked - recreational and medical uses.
"I have to help people medically, that's my goal. If you had seen what I have seen you would
know why," said McMillan.
McMillan told the Daily News that he does smoke pot recreationally, but said this was
irrelevant to the club's existence.
Some of his clients suffer from AIDS and various forms of cancer, said McMillan, adding that
marijuana brings them relief and solace from their suffering.
"The local branches of the Cancer Society and the AIDS Society have been supportive in that
they carry our brochures, but I would say almost all the doctors support us too - they just
won't write a prescription," said McMillan.
The club has a membership of around 40 people, and it purchases its marijuana from small,
family-run grow operations for $2000-$2600 per pound, according to McMillan.
"I've never had to buy from any criminal organizations. There's just too many mom-and-pop
organizations around town for that to be a problem," said McMillan.
McMillan hopes to eventually grow his own marijuana legally, and to see laws which permit
medicinal use of marijuana formally recognized.
He pointed to a recent court decision in Vancouver which ended in a suspended sentence for
a member of the much larger Vancouver-based B.C. Compassion Club (upon which his
smaller organization is modelled) as a sign that laws are relaxing.
Mayor Gary Exner cautiously agreed with McMillan's prognosis.
"There are some politicians who are coming out for it [medical use of marijuana], because
they are under pressure," said Exner.
"As long as they sell marijuana to the members, then no problem. If they are going to start
selling to the general public, they need to come forward and get a business licence," he said.
Exner pointed to the legal entanglement three years ago at local marijuana paraphernalia shop
Holy Smoke, to say that the real concern in the community surrounded the sale of marijuana
to youth, not medical marijuana.
"If they are staying within the law, I say welcome and good luck," said Exner.
MAP posted-by: Derek
Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2000
Source: Trail Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 Sterling Newspapers Ltd.
Contact: trailtimes@netidea.com
Author: Gray Miles
CANNABIS COMPASSION CLUB OPENS
NELSON - A Nelson man who has a herniated disk in his back and buys marijuana to relieve
to his pain has found a new source: the newly-opened Nelson Cannabis Compassion Club.
"I feel they preform a valuable service to the community. Instead of people basing their
reactions to the medical usage of pot on hysteria and past stereotypes, we need to look at the
medical benefits,' said the man, who did not want to be identified.
The man said he suffers both from severe pain and muscle spasms, and finds the effects of
marijuana beneficial.
"It enables me to get on with my life,' he said.
Phil McMillan is the coordinator of the club. From a cramped downtown office, he sells pot
to patients over the counter, an act which is still technically illegal. But far from being
concerned about arrest, he wants to reach out to Nelson City Police in an unusual way.
"I'm wanting to connect with the police - I want a liaison officer to work with me on this, so
that if they pull over someone with marijuana and see identification issued by me, they won't
arrest anybody, and they'll return any pot they seize, because it would be cruel not to,' said
McMillan.
McMillan, who was a social worker in Vancouver for eight years before moving to Nelson, is
the founder and on the board of directors of the club, an organization that exists to provide
marijuana to those who suffer from illnesses whose symptoms are eased by the use of the
drug.
The club sells pot out of it's recently opened downtown Nelson office for $20-30 per eighth
of an ounce to those who can provide a doctor's note saying they suffer from a medical
condition.
McMillan says he has operated the club underground for two years but only opened the office
six weeks ago.
Inspector Dan Maluta, however, of the Nelson City Police is wary the new organization.
"Why do you think they contacted your paper to begin with? They want to make a case for
the legitimization of a banned, illegal substance. Their ultimate aim is to legalize marijuana for
mind-altering use," said Maluta.
McMillan disagrees. He divides marijuana use into two clear camps which he says are not
linked - recreational and medical uses.
"I have to help people medically, that's my goal. If you had seen what I have seen you would
know why," said McMillan.
McMillan told the Daily News that he does smoke pot recreationally, but said this was
irrelevant to the club's existence.
Some of his clients suffer from AIDS and various forms of cancer, said McMillan, adding that
marijuana brings them relief and solace from their suffering.
"The local branches of the Cancer Society and the AIDS Society have been supportive in that
they carry our brochures, but I would say almost all the doctors support us too - they just
won't write a prescription," said McMillan.
The club has a membership of around 40 people, and it purchases its marijuana from small,
family-run grow operations for $2000-$2600 per pound, according to McMillan.
"I've never had to buy from any criminal organizations. There's just too many mom-and-pop
organizations around town for that to be a problem," said McMillan.
McMillan hopes to eventually grow his own marijuana legally, and to see laws which permit
medicinal use of marijuana formally recognized.
He pointed to a recent court decision in Vancouver which ended in a suspended sentence for
a member of the much larger Vancouver-based B.C. Compassion Club (upon which his
smaller organization is modelled) as a sign that laws are relaxing.
Mayor Gary Exner cautiously agreed with McMillan's prognosis.
"There are some politicians who are coming out for it [medical use of marijuana], because
they are under pressure," said Exner.
"As long as they sell marijuana to the members, then no problem. If they are going to start
selling to the general public, they need to come forward and get a business licence," he said.
Exner pointed to the legal entanglement three years ago at local marijuana paraphernalia shop
Holy Smoke, to say that the real concern in the community surrounded the sale of marijuana
to youth, not medical marijuana.
"If they are staying within the law, I say welcome and good luck," said Exner.
MAP posted-by: Derek
