PICTOU – A Halifax man will have to open his wallet wide after being sentenced to pay a $700 fine for producing marijuana.
Joel Samson, 36, was sentenced in Pictou provincial court Monday after pleading guilty to a charge of production of marijuana in relation to an incident at a police checkpoint in Union Centre, Pictou County, on Aug. 11, 2017.
Court was told that when officers stopped Samson’s vehicle they noticed a fresh smell of marijuana. He told police he had a medical licence to possess the drug and showed officers several small containers of marijuana located in the dash of his vehicle.
Officers checked out Samson’s story and learned that he was possessing more marijuana than his medical licence allowed and that he was not allowed to have the drug in his vehicle.
The Crown and defence reached joint recommendation on sentencing that included the fine as well as forfeiture of the drugs.
Samson’s lawyer told the court that his client has strong support from his family and volunteers in his community. He started using the drug in 2014 after his cancer went into remission.
