CURE THE CRISIS

Using a combination of group therapy with gardening & cultivation as well as cannabiniod consumption, the CURE THE CRISIS project aims to provide relief on all fronts. 

¤ Group therapy to tackle the underlying issues that lead to substance abuse.

¤ Gardening, it's numerous benefits to mental health and wellness well documented, will also provide nutritious meals for our participants and our community, with half the harvest going to local foodbanks.

¤ Carefully chosen strains of Cannabis will be consumed to help with the immediate problems of craving and withdrawl, and cultivation will teach them to grow their own medicine so they can always maintain the self-reliance they've achieved through the program.

So How Does it Work? 

The RV (mobile consumption site) will be parked in downtown Whitehorse between the hours of 10am-6pm¹ a minimum of 2 days/week, additional days dependent on volunteer availability.There are several suitable locations, and locations may be changed throughout the day as appropriate. 

During this time any person, age 19+² and not intoxicated by alcohol, may attend the site; whether for Cannabis education, a safe place to consume their own cannabis, or simply to hang out.  Know your CBA's, Cannabis before alcohol. Unfortunately we must turn away anyone we determine to be under the influence of alcohol. Those persons turned away are free to return when sober.

Rules for attendance are the same as a typical place of business; no harrassment, aggression, drunkenness, etc. All "house rules" will be clearly posted as well as verbally explained to those new to the program.

For those persons registered with the program cannabis will be dispensed without cost³.

Registration applications are by referral only, and final approval or denial of applicants is at the sole discretion of the program organizer (currently myself) after having received suitable input from an arms-length Advisory Council⁴, led by Yukon's resident cannabis expert Jeremy Jones and staffed by a variety of volunteer stakeholders from the community; addiction counselors, First Nation representatives, mental health experts, and private citizens are all welcome to apply for Board positions.

Referrals will be accepted from any stakeholder organizations, First Nation governments, or family members⁵.

Group therapy sessions will be delivered virtually on a schedule to-be-determined, as well as through simple comradery and friendship building. 

Gardening classes take place across from the Lorne Mountain Community Association on 1 acre of private land, which includes permission to grow 8 legal cannabis plants. Ideally each participant will have their own plant to cultivate, however participation could be expanded in people shared and additional transportation could be arranged.

Both parts of the program will feature a lunch program, with snacks an addition to the mobile consumption sites menu. Food may be prepared on- or off-site, depending on donations, though on-site BBQs will likely be the norm for lunches.

In the communities? 

There is no reason the program couldn't operate within Yukon's smaller communities. In fact, a small "facility" able to operate 24/7 could prove to be exceptionally successful. 

What about donations?

As of 04/20/2022 we have...

¤ a small RV to use for transportation of up to 8 participants, and for a mobile consumption and therapy site.

¤ use of 1 acre of private land for the gardens including space for  8 legal cannabis plants, one for each participant.

¤ the harvest from 4 plants (12:7 THC:CBD ratio) currently being grown.

Cash donations will be used as needed for fuel, vehicle maintenance, food, internet connection, and sundry items such as toilet paper, plastic cutlery, etc., as well as shipping labels for Grower donations. In the unlikely event that the program is discontinued, the cash balance will be divided equally and transfered to other local mental health and substance abuse programs.

In-kind donations are also welcome, and preferred. We can only raise so much cash before the tax implications kick in, so it's better for us to receive a rake than the money to buy one. Some things we'll be needing; food or supermarket gift cards (for lunches & snacks), gardening tools, seeds & bulbs (vegetables, herbs, etc), lumber, poly, old greenhouses (or new), planter boxes, hoses, etc, etc. We follow the Repurpose/Reuse principle. If we can find a use for it we will. In the event that the program is unable to continue next year, donated items will be given to local community gardens.

Donations and donors (unless you wish to remain anonymous) will be posted at friendsofcannabis.ca/cure-the-crisis, as well as receipts for cash expenditures.

Both the mobile site and the gardening classes will continue as long as weather permits. For the mobile consumption site to operate legally within Yukon it needs to physically be slept in, both on the night before and night of its use. As the RV is not winterized that means from last frost till first frost is likely the extent of this year's programs⁶.

Harvested food crops will be divided among the participants (50%) and the local foodbank (50%). Cannabis yields will be shared amongst the participants. 

If you have comments, questions, or would like to volunteer for the mobile site or Advisory Council please email us at curethecrisisyukon@gmail.com 

Follow our successes on Instagram and YouTube 

¹ Hours could be expanded with additional volunteers, assuming sufficient funding and cannabis supplies. 

² MINORS will be allowed if licensed under the ACMPR.

³ Cannabis products are supplied 100% by  in-kind donations from private citizens.

⁴ The Advisory Council maintains separation from the program so as to allow participation from stakeholders without fear of legal ramifications. It is currently illegal for organizations to dispense cannabis.

⁵ On a case-by-case basis. While we are wary of those seeking to abuse the program, the goal is not to turn away those in need and not everyone may have someone to advocate for them.

⁶ Should the pilot prove successful we will push for a permanent, year-round, program with government licensing. Under current legislation a non-profit could be formed and granted with special permissions under the Cannabis Act. Such a non-profit, properly funded, could own property with 4-season greenhouses and living quarters, and could also provide employment opportunities and in-house funding from a spinoff business(es).