BY KEITH LACEY
A man who says he grew marijuana to help his dying friend was spared jail time Tuesday.
Ronald Cyr, 56, was sentenced to six months of house arrest. The only time he can leave his residence is to provide care for three family members suffering from serious health problems.
Cyr pleaded guilty to producing a substance after police raided his residence in Worthington, about 50 kilometres north of Sudbury, Dec. 4, 2001.
Police found 37 marjuana plants about three feet each in length, another 19 plants under 12 inches and other items like scales, rolling papers and pipes.
Cyr?s wife was also charged as was Gerald Langlois. All charges against Cyr?s wife were dropped.
Langlois died from complications of Hepatitis C and diabetes while this matter was in the middle of a preliminary hearing.
Defence counsel Louis Sola told the court the Cyrs were friends with Langlois and were his primary caregivers after he moved in with them more than three years ago.
Langlois needed marijuana to relieve body cramps, increase his appetite and to sleep at night, said Sola.
Because Langlois had contracted Hepatitis C, his liver was damaged and prescription drugs were not effective, he said.
Cyr smoked marijuana to relieve his own stress and to ease the pain while recovering from a heart condition, he said.
The federal government promised a regular and safe supply for people like Langlois, but he was unsuccessful in getting a medical exemption. He then resorted to growing his own.
When he almost burned down his residence, the Cyrs agreed to grow some for him, said Sola.
?This was not a commercial operation...it was not made to make a profit or to sell...but out of compassion,? he said.
Federal Crown prosecutor Nathalie Boivin said her office accepts the Cyrs were not making any profit and started the grow operation to help their friend.
However, ?the law is the law? and there must be a punishment for people who grow marijuana in this quantity, she said.
There must be a deterrent aspect to any penalty imposed or more operations like this will continue to surface, she said.
After hearing all submissions, Justice Louise Gauthier of the Superior Court of Justice imposed a six-month conditional sentence against Cyr.
Cyr must report to a probation officer and accept any counseling as recommended, not consume any drugs not prescribed by a doctor, and not associate with any known drug user.
He will remain on probation for one year after his sentence is completed.
