Auntie’s Health and Wellness Centre in downtown Halifax was once again open for business Monday, just days after being raided by police.
On Friday, owner Shirley Martineau and three of her employees were arrested and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking in marijuana and possession for the purpose of trafficking cannabis resin.
READ MORE: Police arrest Halifax shop owner selling marijuana without restrictions
Martineau, 66, is also facing an additional charge of cultivation of marijuana.
“I don’t feel like I’m a dealer,” Martineau said during an interview with Global News on Monday.
“I think they should be out getting the fentanyl people and the people that are dying on fentanyl. No one’s ever died on cannabis.”
Martineau’s storefront opened in July. At that time, she required all customers to have a doctor’s prescription in order to purchase marijuana products. Two weeks ago, that changed and she opened her doors to anyone over the age of 19.
Selling marijuana without a prescription is currently illegal in Canada.
WATCH: Halifax store opens doors, selling marijuana to anyone over 19
Martineau said she decided to change the way she does business because she got tired of turning people away who were in need of medical cannabis but unable to get a prescription.
“We have to make a stand. I’m here for the patients and I’m not quitting anytime soon. I’m sorry. But I can’t,” Martineau said.
Chris Backer, vice chair of Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana, says he fully supports Martineau.
“Not everybody can get a doctor, not everybody can get a prescription and if you’re an adult, it should be an adult decision,” he said of the decision to purchase marijuana.
READ MORE: Halifax store’s decision to sell marijuana receives support from advocates
Martineau says that Auntie’s Health and Wellness sells recreational marijuana at a higher cost, $13 a gram, to offset the cost for those who need the drug for medical purposes and pay $4 a gram.
She says her eventual goal is to be able to supply medical marijuana free of charge to those who require it.
After police raided her store on Friday, Martineau says she lost thousands of dollars in products. In a subsequent raid of her home, police seized thousands of dollars in cash and 24 marijuana plants.
With Martineau facing serious drug charges, she is unable to be at her business and her store is currently being run by a group of volunteers.
Despite her legal woes, Martineau vows to continue to push on.
“They’ve already put me in jail. They can’t do much more to me,” she said. “They’ve taken everything I have, so, I just got to keep going.”
“I’ve got a lot of backers. People want this.”
Martineau is scheduled to appear in court to answer to the drug charges Feb. 7.
She hopes the charges against her and her employees will be dropped in the near future.
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