Source: Dunfermline Press and West of Fife Advertiser

Pub Date: Thursday, 10 July 2003

Subj: I Got Cannabis To Help My Wife's Pain

Author: Robert Scott

ADMISSION: Husband got drug-laced chocolates for ME sufferer

I Got Cannabis To Help My Wife's Pain

A HUSBAND caught with cannabis-laced chocolates he obtained to relieve his wife's painful multiple sclerosis symptoms has told the Press "I'd do it again if I had to."

John Murray (64) of Dalgety Bay, got in touch with MS sufferer Biz Ivol of Orkney after learning she had developed a method of blending cannabis with chocolate and was supplying it to others with the disease.

But, after a raid on Mrs Ivol's home, police were able to trace Mr Murray to his large detached house in Mortimer Court and confiscated the "canna-choc".

Mr Murray, who gave up work as a motor sales executive three years ago to become a full-time carer for his wife Eileen (57), gave evidence at Mrs Ivol's trial in Kirkwall last month.

Charges of possessing, distributing and cultivating cannabis were dropped last Tuesday because of the poor health of Mrs Ivol, who is confined to a wheelchair because of MS.

A long-time campaigner for cannabis to be made available to MS sufferers legally and founder member of the Therapeutic Help from Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis sufferers (THC4MS) website, Mrs Ivol went through the next day with her threat to take her life.

She took an overdose of painkillers but failed to kill herself and is now recuperating at home after a period in hospital.

Mr Murray, speaking exclusively to the Press, said: "Biz is an absolutely incredible woman and I'm very grateful for what she did for us and other MS sufferers.

"People with MS are often in incredible pain and there is no cure. My wife used to be incredibly healthy but after being diagnosed with MS 10 years ago her quality of life has decreased.

"What makes it even harder for her is that her own mother died of MS when she was six years old.

"Four or five years ago she could walk up to the shops and back yet now 100 yards can be a problem. She's often in severe pain and sometime scan only get up and down the stairs by 'bumping' on her side.

"It's difficult to see someone you love have an illness like MS so when I read in a paper about what Biz was doing I contacted her and got her to supply me with some cannabis chocolates.

"I don't regret what I did and would do it gain if I thought it was best for my wife."

Mr Murray, whose wife Eileen worked at Bourns Electronics at Hillend for 19 years, agreed to speak out in the hope of raising awareness of the need for MS sufferers to be able to use cannabis products to ease their pain without fear of prosecution.

His wife supports his stance but declined to comment.

"It wasn't until after I ordered the chocolate from Biz that my wife knew what I had done," added Mr Murray.

"In the end, she refused to take them: it never got to the point when I could persuade her to try them."

No charges were brought against Mr Murray for being in possession of eight cannabis-laced chocolates, described by Mr Murray as similar in appearance to Belgian chocolates.

Dunfermline East MSP Helen Eadie told the Press it was vital that research aimed at producing a cannabis-containing drug progressed swiftly.

"I absolutely empathise with Mr and Mrs Murray - the son of one of my dearest friends has MS and I know what a terrible disease it is," she said. "I feel strongly that we ought to find ways to relieve pain for these people."

Mark Gibson, a spokesman for THC4MS and executive member for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, said Mrs Ivol should have been "given an OBE" and not prosecuted.

 "People like Mrs Murray need the Biz Ivol's of this world," he said. "The publicity she's received has advanced the cause for cannabis to be legalised for MS sufferers by at least five years."

An estimated 10,5000 people in Scotland have MS, a progressive disease of the nervous system.