Pubdate: Fri, 06 May 2005
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Marshall Jones
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

MEDICINAL POT USERS SOCIETY MANDATE APPROVED

The Okanagan is about to join Nelson, Victoria and Vancouver with the 
creation of a new society with a mandate to distribute cheap, safe medical 
marijuana.

Richard Babcock, founder of the Okanagan Compassion Club Society, knows too 
well the difficulties in obtaining good medical marijuana.

He suffers from AIDS and uses the weed to stimulate his appetite and help 
keep down the dozens of pills he must take every day as well its numerous 
other benefits.

Now Babcock has his society papers from Victoria and hopes to be a middle 
man between organic growers and those who have a legitimate medical need 
for marijuana.

"People will have to be patient with us in the beginning," he said.

"Growers will have to be patient as well, I am sure they are not used to 
getting $100 an ounce.

"We have to remember this is for sick people; they are doing a good deed."

Babcock wants to meet with local RCMP to explain his intentions and methods.

As of Thursday, an RCMP spokesperson hadn't heard of it and wouldn't 
comment on it.

"I want to tell them what we are doing, that we are just going to help sick 
people and if they can cut us some slack that would be great," Babcock said.

He doesn't have any clients yet, though he expects to get as many as 500 
from the Cancer Clinic.

Marijuana, while classified as an illicit drug by the Controlled Drugs and 
Substances Act, is recognized as having many medicinal benefits including 
appetite stimulation, nausea suppression, pain relief and gentle sedation.

He is looking for organic producers only and has the products tested by a 
company called Advanced Nutrients.

Babcock has his eye on a small building downtown for the club but is 
struggling for ways to pay for it.

He and society members plan to sell green silk ribbons by donation.

For more information, Babcock can be reached at 869-4192.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom