A DRUGS campaigner told yesterday how he walked up to a police station counter and offered to produce cannabis.
"It would have saved taxpayers a lot of money instead of sending 20 officers to search my premises," said crusader Jeff Ditchfield.
Last Saturday police spent about five hours at Beggars Belief, the shop he was about to open in Water Street, Rhyl, selling drugs paraphernalia and other items.
The search took so long that the shop, originally planned as a Dutch-style cannabis cafe, did not open on Saturday.
"But I have been open since then," said Mr Ditchfield.
He stressed that his main aim was to help people who needed the drug for medicinal purposes.
"If anyone comes to me for help I'll do all I can," he said.
Among the first visitors was a Gwynedd woman whose husband wanted to try cannabis to ease leg pains.
"She had read about my plans, and I was able to help her," he said.
Mr Ditchfield said he called in at Rhyl police station and offered to provide them with a sample of cannabis.
"That would save taxpayers a lot of money, and they could do what they liked with me," he said.
He said a shotgun and rifle, which he held legally, were seized from a friend's home where they were kept by agreement.
Mr Ditchfield, 43, said: "I obey every rule and law in the United Kingdom except the one that tries to prevent me from giving sick people cannabis."
Because the official opening of the shop was disrupted Mr Ditchfield is planning a relaunch on Saturday.
He is due to appear before Denbighshire magistrates in Prestatyn tomorrow charged with possessing cannabis and possessing the drug with intent to supply.
