WOMAN CLAIMS GROW-OP WAS FOR MEDICINAL USE

A woman arrested when police raided an alleged marijuana grow operation in
Saanich Wednesday says she suffers from a variety of illnesses and was
cultivating the pot for medicinal purposes.

Carrie-Anne Billyard, 33, says this is the second time one of her
residences has been searched, and she intends to sue Saanich police.

Billyard says she has cancer as well as other ailments and takes marijuana
medicinally.

'I'm not a criminal," she said. "I'm entitled to 14 grams a day for my
prescription, so for every gram that Health Canada and your doctor allows
you to have, Health Canada gives you five plants. And then they allow so
much for crop failure."

Saanich police Const. Paul Smith said officers searched a house in the
1600-block McKenzie Avenue. Wednesday morning after receiving a tip that
there was a marijuana grow operation in a residence. The search followed a
two-week investigation.

Smith said police discovered 80 to 100 plants, as well as bagged marijuana.
Officers arrested and charged a man and a woman. Both were later released.

Smith said the investigators are aware that the accused claim the plants
were for medicinal purposes.

"However, the paperwork was not available when the search warrant was
executed," he said. "Therefore, it's treated like any other grow operation,
until it's proven by her to be medicinal. There's actually not government
proof that it is a medicinal grow operation at this point."