UK: NO REGRETS' IN CANNABIS
CASE
Source: Disability Now February edition
Date: January 26 2007
Author: Sunil Peck
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A woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) says she has no regrets about supplying
cannabis to other people affected by the condition, despite being found guilty
of conspiring to supply the drug and facing a possible prison sentence.
Lezley Gibson was due to be sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court along with her
husband, Mark, and a friend, as DN went to press. The Gibsons produced more
than 20,000 chocolate bars containing cannabis and sent them to people with MS,
if they provided proof they had the condition.
Mrs Gibson said that before she started using cannabis, she was unable to see,
talk, or use the right side of her body.
She added: “My only crime is wanting to be well and help other people when
there isn’t anything else available.”
Matthew Trainer, a spokesman for the MS Society, would not endorse the illegal
use of cannabis, but said: “There are very, very few licensed alternatives, so
it’s important to keep pushing for further research into the use of cannabis
extracts for the treatment of neuropathic pain.”
He added: “There is a demand among people with MS for anything that can help
relieve neuropathic pain.”
Alun Buffry, a spokesman for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA), said: “We
are appalled that the law would allow such a conviction, because they haven’t
exactly hurt anybody; they’ve helped a large number of people.”
Mr Buffry added that 69 people had signed a petition on the LCA’s website
implicating themselves as co-conspirators in the case.
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/news/news_feb_2007_002.htm