Source: Daily Sport, UK

Pub Date: Thursday 28 March 2002

Subj: UK: It's Crazy To Call This Man A Criminal

Author: Tanya Jones

Web: The web site is a porn site

Notes: The Daily Sport is a soft-porn daily tabloid newspaper and started a campaign to legalise cannabis on 26 March 2002

IT'S CRAZY TO CALL THIS MAN A CRIMINAL

"When I smoke I still have pain but it becomes more bearable."

WHEELCHAIR-BOUND multiple sclerosis sufferer Patman Denning says smoking cannabis is the only thing that eases his pain.

The 37-year-old lost the use of his legs after being diagnosed with MS three years ago - and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since.

Since then he's smoked dope just to get him through the day.

Patman - along with thousands of our readers - is fully supporting the Daily Sport's Legalise Cannabis Now campaign.

He says life without weed wouldn't be worthwhile.

CONTROL

"I think it's fantastic what you're doing," he said. "I'm totally backing your campaign."

Patman started using ganja after he gave up drinking.

"I was an alcoholic for 20 years," he said. "Then I realised that being an alcoholic makes you dead because you're not in control of your body.

"I would go to the pub the next day and be told 'You're barred'.

"I couldn't even remember what I'd done so I started smoking the herb."

it wasn't until Patman was diagnosed with MS that he began smoking cannabis on a daily basis.

he said: "If I didn't smoke it I would suffer. I found it eased my pain greatly.

"Smoking the herb stops me from becoming a 'poor me'. You know a person who just sits there and goes 'poor me'. I know I would be moaning.

"When I smoke cannabis I still have pain but it becomes more bearable. I can cope with it.

"If I'm having a bad day I'll smoke a spliff and feel better.

"I won't take pain-killers of aspirin. They give you ulcers and heart attacks. The herb works for me.

"I would like to open my own coffee and cannabis shop. As soon as I can get some funding together I will try to pen one.

"A lot of police have said they hope it's not them that would have to arrest me."

"When in hospital, Patman tells medical staff to add to their records that he uses dope.

"I tell them so they can put it on my form. Then I go outside the hospital and smoke a joint," he said.

"I once heard that eight out of 10 doctors would prescribe cannabis if they could."

Patman also stood for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance in his home town, Milton Keynes, during the General Election. He received 500 votes.

"That was without any campaigning," he smiled.

STRESSED

"I was very pleased with that result. It goes to show that people are backing my beliefs."

he added: "The way I see it is cannabis is just a herb like basil.

"It grows on Mother Earth. Can you imagine if people started saying 'You better watch out for your basil'? It's crazy!

"All in all I just want cannabis legalised and to end the prohibition.

"I would recommend anyone that gets stressed out to smoke the herb.

"It relaxes you. What's wrong with that? And it helps me cope with my pain."