Source: Press & Journal, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Pub date: Friday, September 10, 2004

Subj: Mourners' tribute to cannabis campaigner

Web: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/

MOURNERS' TRIBUTE TO CANNABIS CAMPAIGNER

Around 30 mourners attended the funeral service of Orkney cannabis campaigner Biz Ivol yesterday.

She was buried at St Peter's Church on South Ronaldsay after a low-key ceremony.

The service was not religious and had been devised by 56-year-old Ms Ivol before her death on Sunday.

Her coffin was carried to the grave and speeches were made by two friends before it was lowered into the ground.

It is understood that Ms Ivol's sister and ex-husband were among the mourners. Ms Ivol, who had multiple sclerosis, had been suffering from a chest infection but had refused medication for it as her health deteriorated.

Her use of cannabis to ease the symptoms of MS attracted national attention. She was admonished at Kirkwall Sheriff Court in 1997 after she admitted growing 27 cannabis plants to relieve her pain.

Further court proceedings had to be abandoned last year when Ms Ivol attempted suicide. She had denied possessing, producing and supplying cannabis but admitted under cross-examination that she had made cannabis-laced chocolates for MS patients.

Ms Ivol compared the pain of MS to barbed wire being dragged through her spine. A sympathetic doctor suggested she try cannabis after all other methods had failed.

She has been described as a "herbal suffragette" and the Legalise Cannabis Alliance said candle-lit ceremonies were taking place around the country to pay tribute to Ms Ivol.