Saskatoon medical marijuana dispensary discards warning from Health Canada

The Saskatchewan Compassion Club is one of 13 medical marijuana dispensaries across Canada thathas received an e-mailed warningfrom Health Canada.

It's a very curious and, many have called it, a bizarre letter.- Mark Hauk

The letter warnsthe dispensary to cease all activities with medical marijuana in the next 30 days, and says if it does not comply, Health Canada willrefer the case to theRCMP.

"It's a very curious and, many have called it, a bizarre letter," said Saskatchewan Compassion Club founder Mark Hauk. "It referenced advertising but it also referenced the sale of medical cannabis and it basically [ordered] our club to stop advertising."

When Hauk received the e-mail on Wednesday, he questioned its authenticity. He described it as 'carelessly written' and containing no official signature.He saysthe letter threatens prosecution under Canada's Food and Drugs Act with a $5 million fine and up to two years in jail. Despite that, Hauk said the club isn't changing the way it does business.

"We don't participate in any advertising as it is. We always knew that we've operated outside of the regulations as they were.Aletter stating that doesn't really change [anything]," he said.

A copy of the same letter Hauk receivedcan be found here.