Pubdate: Sat, 25 Jul 2015 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2015 The Edmonton Journal Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Otiena Ellwand Page: A3 RAID ON POT SUPPLIER HAS LEGAL USERS SCRAMBLING Three charged as product from 'compassion club' storefront seized More than 1,000 people with health problems ranging from cancer to chronic pain are without their legal medicine after a Beverly area marijuana shop was raided Wednesday by police. The non-profit Mobile Access Compassionate Resources Organization Society, or MACROS, had been illegally supplying marijuana to users with a Health Canada medical marijuana licence or a prescription from their doctor for 11 years without any issues, society president Aaron Bott said. His clients range from the homeless to the wealthy across Alberta and throughout Canada. "I'm not a criminal. I'm doing this out of pure passion to help people that need this medicine," Bott, 40, said at his shop Friday. "We're providing a needed product to patients where doctors and pharmacies have failed." Six officers from the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams Green Team showed up Wednesday morning at the office behind HemperFi, which sells hemp products, soaps and jam at 4121 118th Ave., Bott said. His mother and stepfather, Janice and Bob Cyre, along with Bott, were arrested. They're facing charges including possession for the purpose of trafficking and production of a controlled substance. Police seized all of their product, including dried marijuana, edibles, concentrates, scales, bags, a laminator and printer used to make MACROS club membership cards. MACROS is believed to be the only "compassion club" with a website and storefront office in Alberta, Bott said. While the store's clients are allowed to purchase and use marijuana, MACROS is not a legal operation. Health Canada does not license organizations, such as compassion clubs, to possess, produce or distribute marijuana for medical purposes. "This has to change because people are hurting," Bott said. "We're going to help the patients that need the medicine the most, but as far as a physical location, it's closed until further notice." Many users will likely turn to dealers on the street, he said. That concerns Ryan Wolff, 22, a Spruce Grove entrepreneur who has been using medical marijuana every day for about four years to treat his complex regional pain syndrome, a chronic pain and nerve condition. Wolff found out Thursday he's now without a local supplier and will have to wait two weeks for a shipment from Saskatchewan. "Yesterday was a horrible day. It was one of the worst days I've had. I had a seven hour spasm =C2=85 I bawled my eyes out because I was in tha t much pain," Wolff said. "You might as well take away water for us." Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc., in Mountain View County about 100 kilometres north of Calgary, is the only company in Alberta that's legally allowed to grow marijuana, Health Canada's website says. It plans to start selling medical marijuana this August. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt