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Duncan couple first pot growers certified organic
By Hempology | May 22, 2003
Wendy Little and Eric Nash say people with compromised immune systems need toxic-free
medical marijauana.
From the Cowichan News Leader, April 30, 2003
By Andrew Costa
A Duncan couple who’ve been growing medical marijuana for a year and a half became
the first certified organic pot growers in Canada earlier this month.
Eric Nash, 44, and his wife Wendy Little, 41, both federally licensed medicinal
marijuana growers, were given certification for the production of organic cannabis by the
Pacific Agricultural Certification Society and the Certified Organic Association of B.C.
They sought organic certification because they believe patients with compromised immune
systems should have access to “medicine” that is grown without the use of toxic pesticides
and fertilizers.
“As designated growers, we receive many emails from patients across Canada concerned about
the quality of the marijuana they’re purchasing on the street,” Little said. “We want to
give patients assurance of a toxic-free certified organic product.”
Little has one Multiple Sclerosis (MS) client with a prescription for five grams of marijuana
per day, while Nash’s client, who also suffers from MS, has a prescription for one gram
a day. Together, that means they’re allowed to have 30 plants growing at a time. Their
small, legal grow-op is strictly a non-profit operation, with Health Canada only allowing
them to charge for their expenses, including the cost of Hydro and growing equipment.
Little said she and Nash didn’t plan on becoming medicinal marijuana growers when they
first launched their associated websites, islandharvest.ca and medicalmarihuana.ca, which
gets more then 500,000 hits per month.
“My dad asked me to find out about medical marijuana for his arthritis and Parkinson’s,”
Little said. “I started researching it and realized the information wasn’t out there and
I wasnted to fit it together so other families that were doing the research I was would
be able to find it more easily.
The site provides information on how to go through the process of applying to be a
medical marijuana user or grower as well as news stories, historical facts and discussion
forums. Little and Nash also use the site to operate a mail-order business which helps
subsidize the time they spend helping patients through the sale of vapourizers, pipes,
hats and t-shirts.
“All of the products sold on the site are made in Canada and our glass and steel pipes
are made right here in the Valley,” Nash said.
Little said after they launched the site it generated so much interest that she and Nash
progressed to becoming designated growers as “a natural chain of events.” Nash, who worked
as a horticulturalist with the City of Victoria for 10 years, bought some books and taught
himself the growing process.
“Many sick people have to rely on drug dealers to supply their medicine,” he said. “They’re
being forced into the position of having to buy marijuana from unknown sources, possibly
laden with pesticides, herbicides and contaminants. This is wrong.”
The federal Marijuana Medical Access Regulations, enacted in July 2001, allow people to
apply to legally grow their own marijuana or designate a grower for their supply. Nash
and Little are two of only 36 Canadians licensed by Health Canada to produce medical
marijuana for ill people.
“Most people don’t realize they can go to the doctor and get a prescription for marijuana,”
Little said.
Next fall Nash and Little will be offering a four-hour course on growing marijuana and
the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations at the Cowichan campus of Malaspina
University-College.
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