Saskatoon man works to set up medical pot centre

A Saskatoon man is working feverishly to open up a holistic centre with an express goal of helping people get their hands on medical marijuana.

"There isn't reasonable access in Saskatchewan right now," according to Mark Hauk, the man behind the Saskatchewan Compassion Club.

"It's left a number of members in our community, be it chronically or terminally ill, that are struggling to get access to the only medicine that helps them."

But even as he begins this journey, Hauk dreams of the day he closes up shop.

"I am hopeful that there isn't any social cause for our club to exist in two years' time."

Hauk's vision is to begin the work creating a more accessible medical marijuana climate in this province by setting up shop in Saskatoon's Exhibition neighbourhood. Hauk is awaiting word from the landlord, and if his lease is approved, he intends to open up what he sees as a clinic, dispensary and community centre.

Hauk understands that the idea of dispensing medical marijuana likely will attract the attention of the police. He stresses that much of the work he does is helping people fill out the complicated paperwork involved with obtaining a prescription in the first place.

"For some people that are ill that's a roadblock in itself."