IT'S HIS RIGHT TO TOKE, HEMP STORE OWNER SAYS

A co-owner of True North Hemp arrested by cops claims it's his right to
smoke marijuana and he doesn't believe he should have to get a medical
exemption to smoke it.

"It's the price I have to pay for my belief," said Troy Stewart, 31,
referring to his recent arrest and marijuana charges. "I don't feel I need
to seek anybody's permission (to smoke marijuana). It's my body. I don't
like doctors."

Around noon Wednesday as Stewart was preparing some porridge for lunch,
cops knocked on the door of his home near 104 Street and 84 Avenue with a
search warrant in hand.

The police Green Team - made up of city police and RCMP - later seized 12
marijuana plants with a street value of about $12,000, 100 grams of
marijuana, and about $2,000 worth of growing equipment.

Stewart claims he uses marijuana, in part, to relieve the pain from back
spasms caused by scoliosis.

He said he probably could get a medical exemption in order to smoke
marijuana for medicinal purposes, but he won't.

"I believe I have the right to administer my own health and I wasn't
hurting anybody else," he said, adding his constitutional rights have been
violated.

Stewart is scheduled to appear in court in Edmonton on June 26 to face
charges of production of marijuana and possession for the purpose of
trafficking.