People hoping to fill their prescription for legally prescribed marijuana at the Medical Cannabis Club of Guelph were out of luck Friday.
A number of patrons arrived to find the club locked and a sign on the door that read Closed Friday, May 7, Family Emergency. There was no indication when it will reopen.
The club at 62 Baker St. and other residences were raided Thursday and four people were charged with a variety of drug-related offences. Police seized more than 20 kilograms of dried marijuana, 258 marijuana plants and marijuana-laced baked goods.
"I've belonged to the club since they opened," said Alison Myrden. "I am shocked and saddened as to why police are bothering these people who go out of their way to help people like me feel better."
Myrden is among the first 20 people to be legally prescribed marijuana in Canada. She suffers from chronic progressive multiple sclerosis and a related condition called tic douloureux, which leaves her with violent facial pain 24 hours a day.
She said only a small percentage of medical marijuana users get their marijuana from government suppliers because the quality is typically bad.
The Health Canada website notes that 4,029 people hold an authorization to possess dried marijuana and 2,841 are authorized to cultivate marijuana using seeds provided by Prairie Plant Systems Inc. based in Saskatchewan.
"None of the compassion clubs are licensed," said Myrden. "They are quasi-legal and this is what we've been fighting for over a decade. They are breaking the law for compassionate reasons. I say that with tongue-in-cheek, being a former corrections officer."
Bryan Harkies said he has been a member of the cannabis club for a number of years since his doctor prescribed marijuana to treat symptoms of hepatitis C.
"They have a good selection," Harkies said. "It helps with my appetite and gets me through bouts of depression without anti-depressants. I've stopped getting my weed off of bikers and thugs and other street criminals."
He said his brother Bill was a member while he was fighting terminal cancer.
"It helped him tremendously," he said.
Harkies said he knows of elderly patients who come here to fill a prescription who will now be forced to look for marijuana on the street.
Russell Barth is an Ottawa-based marijuana activist and standup comedian. He said compassion clubs are targeted by police because they present an example of how legalization can work.
He said when marijuana laws were reformed in the Netherlands, it led to huge layoffs of police.
"Police realize everyday we get closer to reforming the laws here the closer they get to the same kinds of layoffs," said Barth. "They won't be able to justify their powers of coercion and intrusion and the budget increases. They'll lose their power to harass the poor, the young, people of colour and those with non-regulated haircuts."
He said it is the police who are breaking the law when they bust these clubs.
"It should be noted that on Dec. 10, 1997, Canada's marijuana laws were declared unconstitutional by Justice Patrick Sheppard, which was upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal, July 31, 2000," said Barth.
"This decision was not appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and government has not re-enacted a Criminal Code statute upon marijuana. Therefore, marijuana is technically legal, and has been for about 10 years. Licence or no licence, the cops have no valid reason to be bugging pot people."
He said the federal Conservative government is trying to pass Bill S-10, which will effectively outlaw all compassion clubs.
"If the Tories ever get a majority government, they'll round us all up.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Guelph Mercury
Author: Troy Bridgeman
Contact: Guelph Mercury
Copyright: 2010 Metroland
Website: Pot club members upset by Guelph arrests
A number of patrons arrived to find the club locked and a sign on the door that read Closed Friday, May 7, Family Emergency. There was no indication when it will reopen.
The club at 62 Baker St. and other residences were raided Thursday and four people were charged with a variety of drug-related offences. Police seized more than 20 kilograms of dried marijuana, 258 marijuana plants and marijuana-laced baked goods.
"I've belonged to the club since they opened," said Alison Myrden. "I am shocked and saddened as to why police are bothering these people who go out of their way to help people like me feel better."
Myrden is among the first 20 people to be legally prescribed marijuana in Canada. She suffers from chronic progressive multiple sclerosis and a related condition called tic douloureux, which leaves her with violent facial pain 24 hours a day.
She said only a small percentage of medical marijuana users get their marijuana from government suppliers because the quality is typically bad.
The Health Canada website notes that 4,029 people hold an authorization to possess dried marijuana and 2,841 are authorized to cultivate marijuana using seeds provided by Prairie Plant Systems Inc. based in Saskatchewan.
"None of the compassion clubs are licensed," said Myrden. "They are quasi-legal and this is what we've been fighting for over a decade. They are breaking the law for compassionate reasons. I say that with tongue-in-cheek, being a former corrections officer."
Bryan Harkies said he has been a member of the cannabis club for a number of years since his doctor prescribed marijuana to treat symptoms of hepatitis C.
"They have a good selection," Harkies said. "It helps with my appetite and gets me through bouts of depression without anti-depressants. I've stopped getting my weed off of bikers and thugs and other street criminals."
He said his brother Bill was a member while he was fighting terminal cancer.
"It helped him tremendously," he said.
Harkies said he knows of elderly patients who come here to fill a prescription who will now be forced to look for marijuana on the street.
Russell Barth is an Ottawa-based marijuana activist and standup comedian. He said compassion clubs are targeted by police because they present an example of how legalization can work.
He said when marijuana laws were reformed in the Netherlands, it led to huge layoffs of police.
"Police realize everyday we get closer to reforming the laws here the closer they get to the same kinds of layoffs," said Barth. "They won't be able to justify their powers of coercion and intrusion and the budget increases. They'll lose their power to harass the poor, the young, people of colour and those with non-regulated haircuts."
He said it is the police who are breaking the law when they bust these clubs.
"It should be noted that on Dec. 10, 1997, Canada's marijuana laws were declared unconstitutional by Justice Patrick Sheppard, which was upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal, July 31, 2000," said Barth.
"This decision was not appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and government has not re-enacted a Criminal Code statute upon marijuana. Therefore, marijuana is technically legal, and has been for about 10 years. Licence or no licence, the cops have no valid reason to be bugging pot people."
He said the federal Conservative government is trying to pass Bill S-10, which will effectively outlaw all compassion clubs.
"If the Tories ever get a majority government, they'll round us all up.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Guelph Mercury
Author: Troy Bridgeman
Contact: Guelph Mercury
Copyright: 2010 Metroland
Website: Pot club members upset by Guelph arrests
