Pubdate: Tue, 02 Aug 2011
Source: Langley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Langley Times
Contact:  http://www.langleytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1230
Page: 3
Author: Dan Ferguson

POLICE RAID CONDEMNED BY CLIENT

Corey Reid assembles a marijuana joint on the
front patio of his Langley townhouse.

I had to buy this from an illegal drug dealer
because the [Langley] dispensary is no longer
available to me,=94 Reid says as he lights up.

I had to support crime with this. Fantastic.=94

Reid, a 24-year-old single dad, has a doctor's
prescription for the marijuana he uses to manage
severe chronic pain from Osgood=ADSchlatter
disease, a condition that has caused him several knee dislocations.

His right knee has a fresh seven-inch scar from
the latest of five surgeries he's endured since he was first diagnosed at
 14.

His left knee has had one surgery so far, with another expected.

I can tell when it's going to rain, 12 hours before it does,=94 he says.

Reid says marijuana, which he used to buy from
the Langley Medical Marijuana Dispensary, helps
him cope with the constant pain without suffering
the side-effects of the powerful prescription painkillers he used to take.

I was on the blue narcotic [special prescription]
pad,=94 he says. =93I couldn't function. I was a zombie.=94

Reid says the Langley RCMP raid on the dispensary
operated by marijuana activist Randy Caine has
deprived roughly 200 people of access to good
quality, reasonably priced medicinal marijuana.

He acknowledges Caine was pushing the limits of
the law which only allows a legally licensed pot
dispensary like his to supply a small number of patients.

We all knew Randy was in a grey area.=94

But the police raid was still a surprise, Reid
says, because it came after the dispensary had
been openly operating for over a year and had just obtained an HST number.

I've been paying taxes on my cannabis since April
1 of this year,=94 Reid says. =93No one saw this coming.=94

The Langley Medical Marijuana Dispensary was raided July 19.

Officers removed all of the marijuana from the premises but made no arrests.

In a written statement Langley RCMP said that the
raid was the result of =93numerous ongoing
complaints from the community and area residents.=94

The Mounties said a decision to lay charges will
be up to the Crown prosecutor's office once it has received the police rep
ort.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart