lol..no shit..
After opening his marijuana dispensary repeatedly in the face of Regina police warnings to close down, the owner of Best Buds Society has now been charged.
Patrick Warnecke was arrested Wednesday and charged with seven counts under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. He appeared in court in Regina Thursday morning, according to a provincial court clerk. His next court appearance is set for April 12.
Protest planned
An event dubbed the Cannabis Patients Protest is being planned for Friday. The event's Facebook page states that police are taking away "safe access sites with zero contingency plan for patients."
Organizers say the demonstration will start at 4 p.m. outside of the Regina Police Service building.
Since January, Regina police chief Evan Bray had been issuing warnings saying owners and operators of marijuana dispensaries could face charges for selling cannabis before legalization came into effect. Regina police sent warning letters to owners and operators before conducting raids of six city dispensaries on March 28.
Evan Bray, Regina police chief, warned marijuana dispensaries repeatedly that they would face charges for operating before the formal legalization of marijuana. (CBC News)
Warnecke opened up again the next day, saying he had one response if police chose to bust the dispensary again.
"We open up again. We open up, we open up, we open up," Warnecke told CBC, saying that he wouldn't turn his back on "sick people and marginalized people" who depend on using cannabis to alleviate symptoms of their illnesses.
Police did raid the store again. Three of Warnecke's employees were charged with drug trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime charges.
After opening his marijuana dispensary repeatedly in the face of Regina police warnings to close down, the owner of Best Buds Society has now been charged.
Patrick Warnecke was arrested Wednesday and charged with seven counts under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. He appeared in court in Regina Thursday morning, according to a provincial court clerk. His next court appearance is set for April 12.
Protest planned
An event dubbed the Cannabis Patients Protest is being planned for Friday. The event's Facebook page states that police are taking away "safe access sites with zero contingency plan for patients."
Organizers say the demonstration will start at 4 p.m. outside of the Regina Police Service building.
Since January, Regina police chief Evan Bray had been issuing warnings saying owners and operators of marijuana dispensaries could face charges for selling cannabis before legalization came into effect. Regina police sent warning letters to owners and operators before conducting raids of six city dispensaries on March 28.
Warnecke opened up again the next day, saying he had one response if police chose to bust the dispensary again.
"We open up again. We open up, we open up, we open up," Warnecke told CBC, saying that he wouldn't turn his back on "sick people and marginalized people" who depend on using cannabis to alleviate symptoms of their illnesses.
Police did raid the store again. Three of Warnecke's employees were charged with drug trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime charges.
