TURMEL: David Butler gets discharge and his exemption!

[KingofthePaupers]

JCT: Great News. David Butler's got his exemption after
putting up a fight that got him a discharge.


http://www.thecoastguard.ca/news/local/2017/6/21/_that_s-my-medicine--shelburne-man-finally-obtains-medical-marij.html

'That's my medicine': Shelburne man finally obtains medical
marijuana licence after more than 15 years of raids by police

Amy Woolvett amywo...@thecoastguard.ca
Published on June 21, 2017

SHELBURNE, N.S. - It happened like clockwork.

Every year, the RCMP would raid a Shelburne man's property as
his neighbours looked on.

The police were looking for pot and Dave Butler fully admits
they were going to find it.

"They've come every year since 2001. they never missed a
year," said Butler.

"The guy that used to live across the road would set up chairs
and snacks. for when the helicopter would come."

Dave Butler
The helicopter is part of the yearly eradication measures
performed by RCMP to get marijuana off the street, said Const.
Dave Toope with the Street Crime Enforcement Unit. A
helicopter is flown over properties and if marijuana is found
in plain sight, it is seized.

In most cases, there are no charges laid during the
eradication process.

"We can charge but we use our discretion," Toope said. "We aim
to get it off the market in bulk."

Butler's property, or the land around it, was always a place
to find marijuana growing. Most of the time, he's managed to
avoid charges - until recently.

Butler was expected to stand trial on production of marijuana
charges June 19 at Shelburne Supreme Court after an arrest in
2014 but instead pleaded guilty to the lesser, included
offence of possession.

He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and will be given a
total discharge if he complies with his probation order and
pays a $100 victim surcharge.

One of the conditions of his probation is that Butler only
uses prescription drugs. But that won't stop him from puffing
on marijuana several times a day - and now he can do so
legally.

On his fridge is a licence allowing Butler to use and grow
marijuana for his own medicinal use.

Getting that Health Canada-issued card, he says, was a hard-
fought battle. He had to visit several physicians over the
years as he sought ways to deal with his peripheral neuropathy
and arthritis. The pain and burning in his limbs could only be
stopped by self-medicating with marijuana, says Butler.

"I saw a pain specialist for two years," he said. "It didn't
help."

In July 2014, a physician finally approved Butler's request to
use medical marijuana. The papers were signed that would allow
Butler to grow a small amount for his own use.

Before his licence arrived, the RCMP raided Butler's property
and found 22 pot plants in his possession, containing an
estimated street value of $22,000 worth of marijuana.

His card didn't arrive until February 2015 - and he didn't
make his way through the court system until June 2017.

JCT: Notice that he was busted while Health Canada was taking
its time with his exemption.

"No one told me I could grow," he said. "But I hoped a letter
would be enough."

He wishes the process was easier for people who rely on the
drug as medicine.

"Having a doctor as a gatekeeper doesn't work," he said.
"They just want to give you pills. I smoke my pain away, I
always have."

Butler doesn't expect to have any more concerns as long as he
sticks to the laws of holding a licence.

"I'm an advocate," he said. "I'll stand and voice my opinion
on grass - that's my medicine."