SUPPORT FOR POT OIL CLOSES LEGION

Officials Temporarily Suspend Maccan Branch's Charter

Maccan - Provincial Royal Canadian Legion officials have shut down
their Maccan branch for supporting use of a homemade marijuana oil
that some local members claim saves lives and relieves suffering.

But an ousted executive member says he's not backing down.

"They can take our charter off the wall but they can't run from the
truth," Rick Dwyer of Maccan said in a telephone interview Thursday.

"We're a watchdog to make sure human rights, freedom of speech and
democracy are protected. This medicine is so phenomenal."

Mr. Dwyer, 51, calls the marijuana oil a safe, natural, cancer-curing
substance that is being withheld from the public by a corrupt
government and powerful pharmaceutical companies.

The Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion
temporarily suspended the Maccan legion's charter Wednesday, ousted
its executive and intends to appoint a new management committee.

Provincial command chairman Steve Wessel is well aware of the strong
support for the oil and its local producer, Rick Simpson, in the
rural Cumberland County area outside Amherst but he said the legion
name, insignia and buildings cannot be involved.

At issue was the legion members' hosting and promoting of public
meetings regarding the oil and its benefits, despite repeated
warnings to cease. A meeting planned for the legion on Wednesday was
moved to a nearby ball field.

"The Royal Canadian Legion has a very good reputation in the general
public and we don't want to soil that reputation by making it look
like we're backing something that clearly is against the law at this
point," Mr. Wessel said.

Mr. Dwyer, who is past president of the Maccan legion branch, said
the action trampled members' rights.

"We are the real Canadian legion," he said.

"I'm so proud of the members for standing up and defending this. We
will not stand by and watch the outright genocide of the Canadian people."

Mr. Dwyer has investigated Mr. Simpson's claims about the healing
powers of his homemade oil, has read affidavits and research and has
interviewed patients, many of whom he knows personally.

He said his 82-year-old father with lung cancer began consuming the
oil in June after he was given 48 hours to live. He's still alive.

Mr. Dwyer and other legion members made no secret of their support
for Mr. Simpson's oil and notified the provincial command and local
politicians.

"When we see the government doing something wrong, it's our duty to
stand up and say so," he said.

Mr. Simpson, who is fighting drug charges in court due to his
marijuana-growing activities, makes the yellowish grease-like
medicine by extracting essential oils from the leaves and buds of
marijuana plants.

He gives it away.

"It's a simple herbal remedy that's non-addictive" and cures cancer
and other diseases, he said, adding patients don't get high if they
take it in small regular doses.

Maccan legion president George Theal wasn't surprised by the
provincial command's move and hopes the facility can reopen by next week.

Mr. Theal was not as vocal as Mr. Dwyer and didn't want to wade into
the politics of the issue. He reflected mainly on the legion's
importance in the community.

"It's used for bingo and for having fundraisers when people need
assistance," he said, adding there are no other community halls in the area.