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UK: Drug trio plan to appeal convictions

Hunts Post

Wednesday 20 Dec 2006

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THREE people found guilty of supplying cannabis-laced chocolate bars to
multiple sclerosis sufferers plan to appeal against their convictions.

Marcus Davies, 36, from Oldhurst, Mark Gibson, 42, and his wife Lezley,
42, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), both from Alston, Cumbria, were
convicted of two counts each of conspiring to supply cannabis.

The Cumbrian couple admitted running a cottage industry making and
posting out more than 20,000 Canna-Biz bars. These contained about 3.5g
of the drug and were sent to MS sufferers around the world, Carlisle
Crown Court heard.

In their testimonies they insisted this was a free service funded by
voluntary donations, available only to MS sufferers who provided a
medical note.

Davies said outside the court that he used cannabis himself for a
variety of complaints including epilepsy, diabetes, pains in his legs,
kidney disease and rhetinopathy (blisters behind his eyes). He said: "I
use an extract that does not even get you stoned."

During the trial, he admitted running a website and post office box for
the not-for-profit organisation Therapeutic Help from Cannabis for
Multiple Sclerosis, thc4ms.org. However, he denied making or posting the
chocolate.

Cash receipts totalling £30,000 were seized by police but the court
heard Lezley Gibson told officers these referred to donations, ploughed
"straight back in" to funding the Canna-Biz.

The couple told the jury cannabis eases symptoms of MS, a claim they
said was backed up by research.

Mrs Gibson insisted conventional medicine had not helped her illness and
if it were not for her cannabis use, she would be in a wheelchair.

All three defendants told the court they believed they had a defence of
medical necessity, but the jury rejected this.

The Gibsons made no secret of their activities. Cumbria Police had been
aware of what the couple were up to for a number of years prior to their
arrest, the court was told.

All three defendants were ordered to return to court on January 26 for
sentence.

*After a ruling on Wednesday, December 13, THC4MS announced on its
website that it has ceased making and supplying Canna-Biz chocolate.
http://www.huntspost.co.uk/

 

 

 

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