ILL GRANDMOTHER ROBBED BUYING POT

WINNABOW, N.C. - At 53, Tinkey Mae Sullivan is a regular on the mean
streets of Wilmington, where she ventures to buy marijuana.
``They wave at me when I go in there,'' she said Thursday, sitting in her
double-wide mobile home in rural Brunswick County. ``They all call me
Grandma.''

Usually Mrs. Sullivan goes alone to buy a quarter-ounce to an ounce of
pot, which she says eases her rheumatoid arthritis and her other
ailments. But a week ago, she decided to make a pot run with her
13-year-old grandson in the car. Both were robbed and attacked, and
now police are considering filing charges against her from bringing
the child along. Police Detective O.D. Horton said police were shocked
by Mrs. Sullivan's actions - most significantly, that she took her
grandson with her. ``That's the issue I'm going to address first of
all,'' he said. Mrs. Sullivan, who with her husband has taken care of
Chris since he was 3 days old, had him along while running errands
March 26 because he had been suspended from school.

``I left the bank, and it hit my mind, `Why don't I just ride by there
and see if I can get some stuff,''' she said. Chris didn't know why
she was there, she said.

She made the 15-mile trip to Wilmington and circled through the
neighborhood, then parked when two men indicated they had something to
sell. Instead, they jumped in the back seat and attacked Mrs. Sullivan
and Chris, taking more than $100 in cash, her grandson's wallet and
her purse, wallet and credit cards. She called for help from her cell
phone.

A proponent for the legalization of marijuana defended Mrs. Sullivan.
``Clearly you're not contributing to the delinquency of a minor if
what you're doing is trying to get drugs that are in some cases
lifesaving and relieve pain and suffering,'' said Keith Stroup,
executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws in Washington, D.C. ``It's almost a human right.''

Since 1996, voters in six Western states have legalized medicinal use
of pot, but patients could face prosecution under federal law if they
use marijuana. North Carolina has not approved use of pot for medical
purposes. Despite her harrowing experience and brush with the law,
Mrs. Sullivan said she won't stop using marijuana.

Asked if she has any marijuana now, she shook her head
sadly.

And when will she buy more? ``The first chance I get.'