Advertisement

Pot-smoking mountie has uniform seized by other officers

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers seized the uniform of a fellow Mountie, who says he should be allowed to smoke medical marijuana while in uniform.

Cpl. Ronald Francis, of New Brunswick, told CBC News two officers showed up at his home Thursday and one took his regular working uniform and "anything that identified me as a member of the RCMP: My work shirts, work pants, my jackets, my gloves, my hat, my cap badge."

Advertisement

"I worked hard for that uniform," he said. "I bled for that uniform. I cried for that uniform for 21 years ... . They ordered me to give the only thing that I've lived and identified with for 21 years."

Francis said his red serge uniform was not seized, because it was at his girlfriend's house, but he was ordered to turn it in to the commissioner at J Division Friday.

He said he had been told by officers in the past not to smoke marijuana while in uniform, but he didn't listen to them because he uses the drug to calm down and reduce his symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Advertisement

"Definitely a member that has been prescribed medicinal marijuana should not be in red serge taking his medication," said RCMP assistant Commissioner Gilles Moreau. "It would not be advisable for that member, it would not portray the right message to the general public, it's definitely not something we would support or condone."

Latest Headlines