Laid-off worker wants seized medical marijuana returned to patients

By: Thana Dharmarajah, Guelph Mercury

 

GUELPH — A recently laid-off Medical Cannabis Club of Guelph employee is calling on city police to return medical marijuana seized in a bust last week to patients holding valid Health Canada designations.

 

“Everything that was confiscated, we can document it through federally-issued permits,” said Scott Gilbert.

 

At least 100 of about 330 members of the cannabis club held Health Canada designations, he said.

 

Guelph Police charged Gilbert for drug trafficking last Thursday, after searching the 62 Baker St. cannabis club and five other addresses on Dublin Street, London Road, Arrow Road and Quebec Street. Officers seized more than 20 kilograms of dried marijuana as well as several vials of ground marijuana, 258 marijuana plants, a quantity of marijuana-laced muffins, scones, cakes and cookies and more than $10,000 cash. Police estimated the value of seized drug items in excess of $100,000.

 

Gilbert was arrested, along with the club founder, and two other individuals. They were all released on bail Friday on a promise to return to court May 31.

 

Sgt. Ray Gordon with the Guelph Police said the items are being held as evidence of drug trafficking. Anyone that may call with inquiries would be referred to access Health Canada regulations, he said.

 

“If they don’t have Health Canada licences, they are not legally in possession of marijuana,” Gordon said.

 

According to Health Canada, private medical marijuana dispensaries are illegal and legal access to marijuana for medical reasons can only be obtained from Health Canada. The government does permit designated growers, but they aren't authorized to grow marijuana for more than two people.

 

At the Baker Street office late Tuesday afternoon, the cannabis club founder Rade Kovacevic was speaking with a client. He said he’s had to turn away at least 50 people in the last couple days with apologies that the club has temporarily shut down.

 

Kovacevic isn’t dispensing any medical marijuana at the Baker Street site, but is providing clients information and printing out applications to apply for a Health Canada designation. He has also laid off his four employees.

 

“I have patients crying to me because they can’t sleep and can’t walk because they are having seizures,” Kovacevic said.

 

He encouraged residents to call Mayor Karen Farbridge’s office as well as city police to explain their health implications as a result of shutting down the cannabis club.

 

A rally is being organized for Saturday afternoon to demonstrate the club’s support in the community.

 

Gilbert wrote a letter to the mayor this week stating that the club’s raid will now increase risks to patients’ safety as they will access marijuana through street dealers.

 

“What we have been pushing for is open dialogue with the city,” Gilbert said in an interview.

 

He said since Health Canada was issuing federal grow permits almost weekly in Guelph, the club was cultivating marijuana in a safe, secure environment for patients. Club members spoke with police about security issues, prior to the raid, and hired an electrical contractor to address safety concerns, Gilbert said.

 

He said he worried the raid may also result in more individuals growing in residential settings and not passing on information to local authorities.

 

“There are so many people getting Health Canada (licences) . . . there are so many grow-ops popping up within Guelph that the city needs to manage this.”

 

Even Gilbert didn’t want to grow and distribute within his own home, he said, although he has a designation to possess marijuana as well as two designations to store, cultivate and distribute marijuana. It’s why he said he brought his marijuana into the club to distribute.

 

The club has been quite transparent and is a member of the local and provincial chamber of commerce as well as the Downtown Guelph Business Association, Gilbert said.

 

Kovacevic said the day after the raid, he received both his Health Canada designations; one to possess, cultivate and store marijuana and another to distribute, cultivate and store marijuana. His application had been held up for nearly six months, he said, adding that’s the reason the club also allowed patients to access medical marijuana simply with a doctor’s prescription.

 

Doctors were called to verify the prescription, he said, and the club’s clients were informed club membership didn’t equate to a federal licence.

 

The rally to support the club will be held in St. George’s Square on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 

tdharmarajah@guelphmercury.com