MARIJUANA PATIENT WANTS POT DISPENSARY

A local man who requires medical marijuana to help him deal with the
pain caused by the affects of HIV/AIDS would like to see a "pot
dispensary" opened in Abbotsford.

Jason Wilcox was diagnosed with the illness in 1993, and started using
marijuana shortly afterward as an alternative to the highly addictive
drugs he was being prescribed for pain.

He said using pot for pain is simply about "holistic health
care."

Since moving to Abbotsford to be closer to family, Wilcox said the
commute to access weed from a compassion club dispensary in Vancouver
is proving arduous.

He pled his case to the Abbotsford Police Board Tuesday
afternoon.

Wilcox said many Fraser Valley residents who suffer from pain due to
chronic illnesses are turning to illegal sources to procure pot rather
than make the trek to Vancouver and access it through approved
dispensaries.

"What I'm putting forward to Abbotsford is that we would like to open
a [compassion club] dispensary here. We would like to do it in a most
transparent way working in conjunction with the city and
authorities.

"We have a co-op of people here who we believe could present a proper,
constructive club that will be able to not only dispense cannabis, but
be able to educate people as well."

Wilcox said very few people entitled to medical marijuana actually use
government-regulated weed, preferring instead to go through compassion
clubs - or buy it on the street - because the government-grade pot
just doesn't cut it.

Abbotsford Mayor George Peary said it is an issue for the federal
government, and thinks the police board is not the proper avenue to
use to broach the subject, adding he doubts Wilcox would find any
sympathetic ears for his cause on city council.

"Access to medical marijuana through dispensaries is quite controlled.
I think the concern they have is using it without being seen as
criminals, and I don't know if that has been an issue. Certainly no
one has ever raised that as an issue to me."

Peary said he had received information from a local pharmacist, and
planned on pursuing it further with the local medical fraternity.

"I think sometimes the individuals who are using medical marijuana
aren't happy with the quality of marijuana available to them through a
regulated supplier. That's an issue for them and the federal
government."

Peary said he would never encourage anyone to acquire marijuana
illegally.