Jeff, 43

Jeff had a major skiing accident. An avid skier and mountain biker, Jeff took on Red Ski Mountain, BC whenever he had the chance. In April 2000 he had a bad accident. During his fall, his belt buckle wedged in to his ribs essentially pushing them in. Doctors said they had pushed ribs back into place before but had never pulled them out. So, they left it. He also found out he had bruising around his heart. He complained to doctors about the constant pain in his ribs. They eventually healed but not properly.

Taking months to heal, Jeff got back on his mountain bike and then his skis. In 2003 he had another skiing accident. “When my ribs healed all crooked, it ended up throwing my lower back out.” Jeff’s medical report indicates 2 spinal injuries.

In 2006, one of his best friends breaks his back skiing, Jeff suggests he get a medical cannabis prescription. His friend does and gets set up with his own home grow. A year later, he recommends Jeff get his for his back pain. So Jeff fills out the forms and takes them to his doctor. His doctor refused to give him a prescription despite the pain he was in. When Jeff left, he was angry, he decided he would just grow it anyway.

Homegrown

“And I did for years and years until I moved up to Needles after a property dispute.” Fed up, Jeff and his girlfriend found a nice acreage and set up their own RV site. They built their home and lived peacefully for about 2 years. That’s when Jeff met his new Wingnut Neighbor. Jeff describes his first encounter where he witnessed the neighbor kicking his dog after chasing him in his car for getting out. Over the next while, the other residents have their own encounters. Many avoiding Wingnut, finding him nosy and off putting. Jeff still tried to be neighborly offering him gas to run his generator and the odd doobie.

busts-pic In February 2016, Jeff watches three cars pull up to his property. Police. With assault rifles drawn, they grabbed Jeff and threw him in a cruiser, at this point Jeff says to the officers, “Well, I guess I should have gotten a medical license.” Even though at that time, in BC, you couldn’t get a grow licence, you could only get set up with an LP. They raided him, taking about 60 clones, 30 2 1/2 foot tall plants and three large plants. They were looking for dry buds “because cops aren’t that educated on cannabis,” Jeff says. They went through his entire house, through every drawer and even Jeff’s outhouse. They questioned his girlfriend, Jeff insisted that it was all his, his girlfriend had nothing to do with it. After a lengthy discussion, the police didn’t want to charge him but had to put it forth to the crown. They even suggested how he should grow to avoid persecution. Had he grown just 2 big plants with 2 big lights, they would have just cut it down and walked away.

Jeff was charged in February 2016 with Production and Possession plus a $5000 fine. Charges against his girlfriend were dropped.

It turned out, they were looking for someone else in his area. Someone with a large grow and trafficking operation. Someone Jeff didn’t know.

During the Sheriff’s investigation of this more well known individual, he trespassed on Jeff’s property, found a couple of marijuana leaves in a bucket, but because he was trespassing he claimed instead that he could “smell wet marijuana vegetation” and filed for a warrant, was denied by the first judge but granted by the second. Jeff’s lawyer was confident he could get his case thrown out, for a mere $18 000.

In the meantime, Jeff learns the Wingnut Neighbor has his own legal issues with unpaid child support and he learns he is the one who tipped off the police in the first place. Jeff has a verbal altercation with the neighbor at which point the neighbor calls the police and tells them that Jeff is in a biker gang. “The only bikes I ride are mountain bikes” Jeff quips. This begins a lengthy quarrel with this neighbor which even results in several YouTube videos posted by Wingnut against Jeff and the community.

In July 2016, a physical altercation erupted where Jeff was assaulted. Jeff didn’t hit him back. Instead Jeff files a complaint against Wingnut. The police talked him out of pressing charges and didn’t take any witness statements but told him it would be kept on file. A few days later, another altercation occurs where Jeff was once again assaulted. Jeff presses charges this time. The Neighbor claims that Jeff hit him and then Jeff is in turn charged. He’s automatically put on probation from prior cannabis charges. The charges were later dropped against Jeff and the charges against The Neighbor are reduced from assault to Fearful Injury.

The case goes to court and was in the newspapers.

During this, Jeff gets his medical license and permit to grow because of the Allard injunction and Jeff’s Production and Possession charges are reduced to Possession over 30, no production and a $2600 fine.

Jeff can now grow his medicine in peace. He likes indica strains best, Purple Kush is his personal favorite. He prefers to smoke cannabis for pain relief in his ribs and back and it helps him to sleep.

On another note, The Wingnut Neighbor is arrested for terrorizing the community with a machete and chainsaw… his home has since been burnt down, no one knows by who.

Jeff feels like the system failed him initially. All of this could have been avoided had his doctor signed off on a medical cannabis prescription and grow license.

On Legalization, Jeff feels like “It’s just another matter of controlling and reaping the benefits of that control. 14 years for selling a gram? Ridiculous.”

If you use cannabis to treat pain/illness and would like to be featured, leave a comment or contact me through the Contact tab.

Read Roger’s story from last week…

Sam

Images/Further Reading

Red Mountain Ski Hill http://www.redresort.com/mountain/stats-map/

Homegrow Image http://www.westword.com/marijuana/colorado-legislature-passes-bill-limiting-homegrow-plant-count-8920519

Cannabis Bust Pic http://highroulette.com/stoner-blog/big-marijuana-busts-arrests-2012/

Marijuana Laws in Canada http://www.marijuanalaws.ca/site-map.html