A suspended Mountie who was forced to turn in his red serge for smoking pot in uniform says he is still smoking medical marijuana, but is no longer being treated by the RCMP.

Ron Francis says he has dropped out of a treatment program for post-traumatic stress disorder but is still smoking pot to help with his PTSD.

"I knew it was going to be a hard battle, I knew it was going to be difficult, but I didn't know how hard it was going to be,” says Francis. “I didn't know the government reaction was going to be so mean.”

Shortly after handing over his uniform in November, Francis was arrested for assault and sent for a psychiatric assessment.

Earlier this year, he agreed to attend a treatment program paid for by the RCMP. However, he signed himself out after three days of treatment.

"The only reason I was sent to Powell River is because I'm so vocal, because I allowed the Canadian public to see the horrors of PTSD and the treatment by the RCMP," says Francis.

Francis says he hasn’t given up treatment, but is seeking it outside of the RCMP.

The Mounties say Francis remains eligible for help while suspended, pending the outcome of legal matters.

"We continue to offer him, active offer of assistance from the RCMP,” says Chief Supt. Wayne Gallant of the New Brunswick RCMP. “He's one of our employees and we want to make sure he gets all the help he needs.”

Francis says he is still using prescribed pot, but not as much, and he says he may not need it for much longer.

Along with his treatment, Francis continues to push for changes in the ranks of the RCMP. He says he is speaking out on behalf of the many officers who cannot.

“Everyone in the RCMP is scared to talk out against the RCMP, obviously, for good reason,” says Francis. “I wasn't.”

Francis says the RCMP has asked him not to speak publicly anymore. Francis asked the RCMP for $2.5 million to walk away and stop speaking out, but he says they rejected his offer.

Now, Francis is planning to sue the force for four times that amount. The RCMP wouldn’t speculate on pending legal action.

After more than two decades as a Mountie, Francis says he could retire a little over a year from now. When he leaves, he hopes to be wearing his red serge one last time.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell