COMPASSION MOVES TO NANAIMO

Bob Estes moved his Organic Matters Compassionate
Access Centre for medical marijuana from
Errington to downtown Nanaimo to be closer to
where he foundmost of his customers were coming from.

There's been a lot of change in the area,=94 he
said explaining that when he opened in May he
turned away over 100 people because there were no
doctors that would support it =AD a necessary step.

Now I'm able to connect people with supportive
doctors and help them get the Health Canada license.=94

Organic Matters signs up members with a variety
of health issues including MS and cancer, with
the support of a doctor, which the local RCMP
have previously said they don't support.

This type of activity is in contravention of the
controlled substances act, it is trafficking in a
controlled substance,=94 said Cpl. Richard Van de
Pol with the Oceanside detachment.

The only people allowed to possess marijuana are
directly licensed by Health Canada. Anyone else
is =93in possession of a controlled substance,=94 said Van de Pol in the
spring.

Estes said while he does encourage people to go
through the Health Canada process, the membership
process he follows has held up in a number of
court cases across the country and the authorities haven't bothered him.

He said while he is actually making a decent
living, =93I'm not in it for the pay cheque, I
enjoy helping people get the Health Canada license.=94

The new location is open at #7-140 Wallace St.,
Nanaimo. Call 250-754-8420 for info.