PAIN WENT TO POT: WITNESS

Accused Gave Marijuana To Mom's Ailing Pals

RAYMOND Turmel gave people marijuana to help them with their pain, a court
heard yesterday.

Turmel is in Hull court on charges of possessing marijuana and trafficking
marijuana with the intent to traffic. He has admitted to both charges.

Turmel's 72-year-old mother, Therese Turmel, testified the marijuana was
the only thing that helped her dying friend, Dorothy St. Laurent. St.
Laurent died in October 2000, but Therese Turmel testified her friend
confessed the marijuana eased her battle with cancer.

BAKED IN MUFFINS

Therese Turmel, who had never smoked the drug, heard it might ease pain and
informed her friend in the summer of 1999. St. Laurent decided to give it a
try, Therese Turmel told the court.

"It helped," Therese Turmel continued. "It was helping her an awful lot.
She was able to keep the medication down and not vomit it."

The accused's mother also testified that her son had once brought a large
can of marijuana to St. Laurent himself because Therese Turmel was away in
Florida.

Therese Turmel said that St. Laurent was never made to pay. The elder
Turmel, who suffers from Raynaud's disease, said she began taking marijuana
in muffins in the summer of 2000.

"I take half of one per day to help me sleep," she explained. "I'm not
looking for a buzz or whatever. All I'm looking for is a good night's sleep."

Therese Turmel said that she has continued to make the muffins since her
son was arrested.

'FOR MY PAIN'

Turmel's neighbour, Henriette McIntyre, said she went to the accused for
marijuana after she watched him smoke a joint in April 2000.

"I wanted to try because of the pain in my back," she told the court.
"(Turmel) asked me if I wanted to take it for fun or because of my pains. I
answered for my pain."

McIntyre said that Turmel never asked her for money.

Under cross-examination, McIntyre said Turmel never asked to see any
medical history and never ensured she was the only one actually smoking the
drug.

The court also heard that McIntyre continued to take the marijuana after
her doctor refused to sign a form to authorize the marijuana for medicinal
purposes. She also continued to be delivered bags of marijuana from Turmel
after he was arrested.