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