MEDICINAL POT USE COMES WITH PRICE TAG

A local man who gains relief from using marijuana for medicinal purposes is
serving a 12 month sentence within the community for production of the
substance.

In Parksville court Wednesday, Judge Carole Lazar heard details of the
two-room grow operation Oceanside RCMP discovered at the man's home on the
West Island Highway Jan. 25.

At the residence, police found a small vegetative and clone room, a bud
room, and evidence of personal marijuana use.

The man's lawyer, Peter Avis, explained his client started using marijuana
for pain in the 1980s, after a work-related back injury. Though he has a
lengthy work history, he has been unemployed since 1992.

In addition to the year-long sentence - which allows the man to leave his
home during court-determined hours for medical or employment reasons, or
tasks such as shopping - he must complete 100 hours of community work service.

He may not possess any light bulbs greater than 250 watts, and is banned
from possessing firearms, weapons or ammunition period. He will also
forfeit all equipment and personal effects seized by the RCMP, save for a
personal address book Lazar said will be returned.