PotShot

Busted for growing pot, man says it's his medication
WAVY.Com | May 21, 2006

A Newport News man who is behind bars for growing marijuana is defending his actions.

David Heydn says he and Aaron Cadman smoked pot to help with a medical condition.

Police arrested the pair and a woman, after finding almost one-hundred marijuana plants and Heydn's young son in his home.

Wearing an orange inmate jumpsuit, and handcuffs, 43 year-old Heydn admits he smokes marijuana on a regular basis, and does not deny growing it in his home.

"I'm making that stand and I'm making a stand for all people who smoke pot for medicinal purposes and we wouldn't have to smoke it if they would give it to us in pharmaceutical form", says Heydn

"I smoke marijuana avidly - I'm an advocate and I grow my own pot."

Newport News police seized 98 marijuana plants from his house on Nicewood Drive Wednesday morning.

They got a search warrant and once inside, confiscated the marijuana, which police say has a street value of more than $437,000

Heydn says he suffers from bi-polar disorder, and the marijuana is his only form of relief.

"My head spins so fast it's like a swirl of mud up there. Without medication, I can't grab a thought to think and I get irritated and annoyed and I get moody and I get frustrated and irritable" Heydn says

This father of three says his 20 year old daughter and his 15 month old baby girl were home when he was arrested. 28 year-old Aaron Cadman was also arrested and charged with possession of marijuana.

"He's bipolar also so I help him" Heydn told us.

Heydn's 24 year-old girlfriend who's the mother of the 15 month-old was charged with child neglect and released.

Heydn runs a tattoo shop on Mercury Boulevard. No one inside would comment.

Heydn says he has no plans to stop using what he calls his 'medication'.

"What is my lesson here - I won't grow where my children are. I'm still going to smoke until you get me a different alternative for my problem", he says.

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