Making their voices heard
Supporters of marijuana advocate protest outside Amherst courthouse
Support for a Cumberland County man charged with marijuana and firearm offences showed up early Monday for his first court appearance since being arrested almost a week ago.
Fifty-two year old Daren Wayne McCormick was arrested and charged Aug, 23, after Cumberland RCMP and a street crime unit conducted a search at a Northport home. Ten handguns, a shotgun, drug paraphernalia and what police descried as a large number of marijuana plants were removed from the home.
Supporters, however, say McCormick provides medicinal marijuana to those afflicted with cancers and other ailments.
“He heals people with cancer,” Donna Thibodeau said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the oil… what they are doing is wrong.”
Thibodeau travelled from Bathurst, N.B. to show her support for McCormick outside Amherst
Provincial Court ahead of his hearing. Thibodeau says McCormick helped her cure her recover from a number of ailments using marijuana refined down to an oil, colloquially known as ‘Rick Simpson oil’ after the local medicinal marijuana advocate
who popularized its use. Thibodeau was not alone in her support for McCormick and as the 9:30 a.m. hearing approached, more support followed.
“He was going to people with hemp oil, not charging anybody for nothing, and saving people’s lives,” Albert Dwyer said. Dwyer said he suffered from colon cancer and used marijuana oil in place of radiation and chemotherapy with positive results. According to Dwyer, McCormick’s arrest was keeping medicine from those who need it. “Why should they put someone in jail who’s saving people’s lives,” Dwyer said.
Online support for McCormick has grown to include a #freeDaren hashtag, and the Facebook page EAST-Canada Friends has offered extensive support for McCormick since his arrest. McCormick is charged with: – Production of marijuana – Possession of marihuana for the purpose of trafficking
– Possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition
– Eight counts of unsafe storage of a firearm
– Eight counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm
– Eight counts of possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized
– Two counts of possession of a firearm while prohibited.