Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jun 2017
Source: Truro Daily News (CN NS)
Copyright: 2017 The Daily News
Contact:  http://www.trurodaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1159
Author: Amy Woolvett
Page: 5

SHELBURNE MAN OBTAINS MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENCE

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.

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.
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MAP posted-by: Matt