MALAHAT MAN DISCOVERS PUFFING POT POOR ALCOHOL CURE

A Malahat man who tried to kick his drinking habit by smoking pot was
punished this week with a four-month conditional sentence and curfew.

Dean Urton, 50, was charged with production of marijuana after police
executed a search warrant in March and discovered 68 pot plants, growing
equipment and other pot paraphernalia in his mobile home.

Defence lawyer John Stowell told Judge Keith Bracken his client was a
borderline alcoholic who thought he could sober up with help from the
illegal drug.

"Mr. Urton tells me he was not involved in a commercial operation," Stowell
explained. "He turned to marijuana some time ago because he realized his
consumption of alcohol was not doing him very good."

Stowell and Crown prosecutor Mike Coleman agreed a conditional sentence
could be appropriate, so Urton could serve his sentence in the community
without doing any jail time.

During the next four months he must remain in his house between 7 p.m. and
6 a.m. and abstain from alcohol and illicit drugs.