Pubdate: Mon, 02 Nov 2015
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Sean Trembath
Page: A3

COMPASSION CLUB SUPPORTERS RALLY AT POLICE HQ

Rob Williams was devastated when he learned Saskatoon police raided
the Saskatchewan Compassion Club.

Williams suffers constant pain from Crohn's Disease and nerve damage
stemming from a broken back. After negative experiences with
prescription narcotics, he turned to edible marijuana, which he said
is remarkably effective.

Now, with the city's lone medical marijuana dispensary having been
shut down, Williams faces a difficult decision.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess I need to make another
doctor's appointment, get my hydromorphone back up and start
scratching again," he said.

On Thursday, police raided the compassion club, seized its products
and arrested operator Mark Haukand three of his employees. All four
appeared in provincial court on Friday and are now out of custody.

Hauk and Williams were among about 75 people who rallied in front of
Saskatoon police headquarters on Saturday to support the compassion
club and express disdain for the police force's decision to shut it
down.

"At the moment I'm emotionally overwhelmed with support. It's nothing
but positive feedback and support today," Hauk said at the rally.

He criticized Saskatoon police Chief Clive Weighill for what Hauk said
were lies about how he had been operating. Hauk disputed claims he
heard that he had been manufacturing cannabis resin at his home.

"It's not a stretch of the truth. There's no truth there at all," he
said.

He also took issue with comments Weighill made to The StarPhoenix
about how patients with legal licences can get their cannabis from
licensed distributors. Hauk said that edibles, oils and tinctures -
which he sold to his clients - are not available under the current
system.

"Anyone here using anything outside dried cannabis, there is no legal
avenue for them to get their medicine. That's the most shameful thing
of this all," Hauk said.

Bev Schindelka was at the rally and said the club's services greatly
improved her life. Schindelka has Addison's Disease, a hormone
deficiency that causes her pain and extreme nausea.

"I've been in the hospital before with a torn stomach from vomiting.
Yet one toke of marijuana stops it instantly," she said.

Schindelka said she had previously ordered cannabis online from an
outlet licensed by Health Canada, but the product made her sick. She
said the customer experience afterward was poor. The compassion club
gave her a storefront she could go to and people she could consult
about what type of cannabis she needed.

"It was a huge difference," she said.

Like Williams, Schindelka said she doesn't know where to turn for her
cannabis.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do. I just hope I don't end up back
in the hospital again," she said.

Hauk said the compassion club will reopen to the public this morning.
There won't be any products, as they were all seized, but Hauk said he
will continue to pursue the club's other purpose of helping people
navigate the legal system around marijuana prescriptions.
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MAP posted-by: Matt