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UK: Judge's anger over casual attitude to cannabis Paul Fielding Blackpool Gazette Wednesday 05 Nov 2008 Judge Christopher Cornwall made his comments while sentencing a Fylde coast man caught with 30g of the drug at his home. Paul Hadgraft was described as a regular cannabis user who believed the drug had a calming effect. His intention had been to supply the drug to fellow users. But at Preston Crown Court, the judge told him: "You, as best as I can tell, regard cannabis as relatively harmless and think it is acceptable to use it as recreational activity. "The truth is, it is a dangerous drug, that does untold damage and is doing untold damage to you. "That is damage which will only get worse if you continue to use the drug." Hadgraft, 26, was arrested after police searched his home on Martindale Avenue, Fleetwood, in January. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply. Kirsten McAteer, prosecuting, said text messages were found on a phone. One such message read "have you got any green mate?" Another one asked for a "lay on". In police interview, Hadgraft said the drugs were for his own personal use and he had bought them for £140. He had 17 previous offences on his record. Michael Murray, defending, told the court: "It is dawning on him that cannabis is not as innocent as a lot of people would suspect. "He says it is his wish to rid himself of what is clearly an addiction to cannabis. "He has been taking it for quite some time, by his own admission, so have friends of his. "That has led him to the dock. "He wasn't making any money for recreational use, other than buying more cannabis to use himself and to pass on to friends. "That has been the pattern." Hadgraft was given a sentence of 26 weeks prison, suspended for 18 months, with 18 months supervision. The judge also told him: "You are a regular user of cannabis and have been for some time. "It is a drug that is capable of completely distorting a person's thinking. "Yours is completely distorted. "It causes immense concern in the community, for the other decent people who have to live in close contact with people who are using, abusing and supplying this drug." http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/
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