POLICE RAID 'COMPASSION CLUB' A SECOND TIME

Comox Valley RCMP raided the North Island Compassion Club again last
Friday.

This was the second time the club has been busted by police this year
for allegedly illegally selling marijuana.

A search warrant was issued last Friday at 7: 30 p.m. at the club's
location on Sixth Street in Courtenay. Police arrested two male
residents who may be facing charges of possession for the purpose of
trafficking.

The manager and director of the club Ernie Yacub called the arrest
"ridiculous," because both persons were only tenants.

"Neither are involved with the club," said Yacub, who may also be
facing arrest again. "They just live here. I expect when they do go to
court the charges will be dropped. They won't bring charges against
them because there's no evidence to connect them to the Compassion
Club other than the fact that they live in the same house."

Yacub indicated that the Compassion Club, which sells medical
marijuana exclusively to its members, rents out a couple of rooms in
the basement.

"This is the second time they've been here. They raided us five months
ago," said Yacub. "As usual the police seized all of our medicines."

Yacub, along with Bill Myers were arrested in the first raid in
February this year. They were scheduled to appear in court last May
but the hearing was cancelled. According to Yacub, no dates yet have
been set.

The Compassion Club has been operating in the same location in the
Comox Valley for seven years without any problems, Yacub said, until
now.

"We've never received any complaints," Yacub said. "We have good
relations with our immediate neighbours. Our club is located across
from a six unit apartment and of those people there, all them know
about the club and not one have expressed concerns about the club. I
know several of them are supportive."

Yacub said every time they are raided, the club loses money. The first
raid cost them around $12,000 worth of medicine and cash, and last
Friday's bust, Yacub estimates that the club lost $5,000 to $6,000.

"No business can survive with those kinds of losses," said Yacub. "We
are a small business. When I say business is that we are a non-profit
society run by volunteers. The way we operate is we try to provide the
best and cheapest medicine as we can. So we're not making any money on
this. Nobody's making any money here."

The club has over 200 registered members but only half are frequent
users of the dispensary.

"It's our mandate to provide this because there's nowhere else people
can get this medicine," said Yacub. "They can't go to the pharmacy and
they can't go to their doctors. If we're not here for them to get
cannabis marijuana then they have to go find it on the streets. That
is dangerous and upsetting. For sick people, that's unconscionable."
While the Compassion Club provides a unique service, the business of
selling marijuana remains illegal in Canada. Yacub admitted that they
are aware of it but he feels there is a need for this type of service.

"We know there are thousands of people who would use cannabis as
medicine if they are able to safely and freely buy it," said Yacub. "I
know a lot of people who would like to join the club and buy from the
club but they're afraid. And for good reason because they know the
police are watching us and when they come here, they are marked."

Yacub feels the community is letting the people down.

"The reason we're doing this here is because the medical community
won't," said Yacub.

"Why do people have to be turned into criminals in order to get their
medicines? Why isn't the community looking after people? Why are we
looking after people and going to jail for it." Calls to the Comox
Valley RCMP were not returned by press time.