Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:


After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

Wales: Man smoked cannabis to relieve chronic back pain

Carmarthen Journal

Wednesday 25 Apr 2012

AN Ammanford man caught with £1,700 of cannabis has claimed he smoked it to relieve a chronic back problem.

Arwyn Kevin Walters, 56, is on incapacity benefit and has a signed doctor's note stating he suffers from spondylosis, a degenerative nerve condition.

He had a string of convictions for growing the class B drug when officers raided his home.

He appeared at Llanelli Magistrates' Court last Thursday and pleaded guilty to two counts of drug possession: one for 153.1 grams of herbal cannabis; the other relating to 23.86 grams of cannabis resin.

The offence happened on February 10, when at 8.55pm PC Harries stopped Walters in Bishop Road, Ammanford.

"Due to the strong smell of cannabis, he was searched," prosecution solicitor Gerald Neave told the court.

"PC Harries seized a mixture of herbal cannabis and tobacco and Mr Walters was arrested."

Later that day police searched Walters's home, in Parcyrhun, where they found more resin and herbal cannabis wrapped in six separate bags.

"In the police interview he told officers that he smoked four-to-seven grams of cannabis resin per day, and three-to-four grams a day of herbal cannabis, and has done so for the past 40 years" Mr Neave said. "He said he bought it for around £400."

But police valued the haul at £1,761 in total.

Walters' charge is the latest in a series of offences relating to the drug: in 2001 and 2008 he was caught growing cannabis, earning a fine and a caution respectively. And in February last year he was fined for cannabis possession.

Walters lives on his own and receives £100 per week in incapacity benefit.

Defence solicitor Robin Reed gave magistrates a copy of a doctors note he told the court explained details of the defendant's back condition.

"He only smokes in the privacy of his own home," Mr Reed said. "It keeps him sane and helps him to sleep.

"He is doing no harm to anyone but himself. He does not want to go on medication such as morphine."

The magistrates said Walters's case was "very sad", but fined him £110, with £85 costs and £15 charges.

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Man-smoked-cannabis-relieve-chronic-pain/story-15908887-detail/story.html

 

 

 

After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. 




This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.

Feel free to link to this page!