LETTER MEANS SICK MAN CAN BUY MARIJUANA

While Dennis Lillico said while he is very grateful his doctor wrote
him a letter that now allows him to purchase medicinal marijuana from
the Compassion Club in Nelson, he wants to know why he can't grow his
own.

"I was busted a few weeks ago," Lillico said. "The RCMP came to my
house because a friend had called them to express concern about my
emotional health. When the officers came they saw I was growing some
clones and baby plants and they took them away."

Trail RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Al Brown confirmed that 13 clones were
taken from Lillico's East Trail residence on Aug. 13.

"We did seek legal counsel and we were advised it would not be
appropriate in this case to pursue charges," Brown said.

This is the second time the police have removed plants from Lillico's
home and the second time they decided not to prosecute, Lillico said.

"Everyone is waiting patiently to see where this will go. I am waiting
to find out from the Human Rights Tribunal if it is legal for me to
grow the medicine I need."

Lillico, diagnosed with familial autosomal dominant myoclonic
dystonia, said the pain he has to endure because of the degenerative
condition can only been relieved with smoking marijuana.

"Pot can't cure me," he said, "but it helps to dull the
symptoms."

Those symptoms, which include sudden, jerky, involuntary movements
often lightning-fast are accompanied by epileptic-like seizures.

"When the cops came and busted me, my nerves were freaking out,"
Lillico said. "They were going off the wall, so the officers drove me
to the hospital to make sure my nerves were OK."

Brown confirmed that the officers did take Lillico to the Kootenay
Boundary Regional Hospital on the day of the bust.

"This guy does have a medical condition that is quite severe," Brown
said. "The laws (regarding growing and possessing marijuana) are
changing so our officers are thinking twice about prosecut-ng in
situations like this one."

But Brown went on to emphasize that growing marijuana "is still
against the law and it is not legal.

"Until those laws change, we will prosecute when we feel it is
justified," the officer said.

So while Lillico can't grow his own plants, he wonders how he is
supposed to get to Nelson to purchase his medicinal cannabis.

"I'm still waiting for my wheelchair to come from the Ministry of
Social Services and Housing," he said. "When it does, if I am not
allowed to grow my own, I am trying to plan a safe walk, which will be
me walking to Nelson to get my medicine."

Marijuana grown illegally around the Kootenays is supplied to the
Compassion Club by a number of different growers, said Philip
McMillan, spokesperson for the Nelson club.

"Our club is a little bit about civil disobedience. But so far we've
had no problems whatsoever. We are pretty legitimate and pretty strict
about the rules and so far no one has had a problem with us helping
sick or dying people."

The club, which has 188 members, requires an advisory note from a
doctor indicating a patient's need for marijuana, McMillan said.

"But once the doctor has made the diagnosis, how you decided to treat
yourself is really up to you."

Lillico said he had run up against a brick wall everywhere he turned
until he contacted Dr. Michael Scully in Rossland for help.

"Dr. Scully wrote me a letter saying while he didn't feel comfortable
prescribing marijuana and hadn't for any of his patients, he didn't
think it was unreasonable for me to use it, if it provided me with
symptom relief."

And having tried many "legal" medications, Lillico said, marijuana is
the only one that offers some relief to his intense pain.

"Long-time neighbour Chris Balfour said he has been alarmed at how
rapidly Lillico's health has been disintegrating.

"I've watched him for seven years," Balfour said. "I wouldn't wish
this disease on anyone. He's gone from riding a car, to his bike, to
now this. It's been awful to watch."

Balfour said he hopes some of the citizens in Trail rally around
Lillico and help him put the safe walk together.

"It's not like he's using marijuana for anything other than managing
disease," he said. "This is a super nice guy who would give the shirt
off his back. People in Trail help out with other causes, I hope they
choose to help out with this one."