MARIJUANA CLUB WILL HELP CHRONICALLY ILL

Activist Wants to Give Pot to Those Who Can Use It for Pain Control

Nanaimo residents with chronic illnesses may get their own medical
marijuana compassion club.

Activist James Younger said he hopes to have the Mid-Island
Compassion Society operating by as soon as Thursday.

"I'd like to provide medical marijuana to people in need of it," said Younger.

He has issued a statement claiming that cannabis is medicine, and
part of the mandate is to ensure "strict safeguards against abuse."

Younger said he has used pot for his work-related pain and assisted
in growing it for a quadriplegic man in his home.

Younger said the police did raid the man's residence, but later
returned the equipment they seized.

He is thinking of people with AIDS, hepatitis, ALS, cancer and
various other chronic conditions.

Younger said he has received good response thus far, and for the past
several months has been consulting with compassion clubs in Vancouver
and Victoria.

"I'm ready to go, I have a membership of three," he said. "I've had
people offer me computers and telephone lines and others who've
offered me an organic source (for marijuana).

The cost to join will be between $5 and $50, depending on what a
person can afford, and though he has been looking for a storefront,
Younger said a bicycle will likely be the centre of his business to
deliver to customers.

"I was hoping to find a storefront, but I was told to use a bicycle,
that way they don't impound your vehicle," he said.

Younger said he wants to do everything up front, and today is seeking
to speak with Mayor Gary Korpan and the RCMP. Korpan said he will
listen to Younger, but questioned the idea of medical marijuana.

"I'm not a doctor but it seems to me there are more than enough
medicines out there that we don't need to be breaking more laws," said Korpan.

Younger maintains that people in Nanaimo who require medical
marijuana don't have adequate access to it. The compassion club in
Victoria, he said, will begin referring Nanaimo people to him if in
several months his operation appears to be a success. No one, said
Younger, will be able to join unless they have an authorization from a doctor.

But first he his seeking a declaration of non-profit status, and he
will then seek to work with the city.

"I'm telling the city anyway, I want to open and accountable."