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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Hospital drama in cannabis case
Evening News, Glasgow
Wednesday 02 Jul 2003 The woman at the centre of a controversial cannabis court case was rushed to hospital today. Elizabeth Ivol was carried unconscious on a stretcher from her Orkney home into an ambulance. The dramatic twist in the case of the wheelchair-bound MS sufferer, also known as Biz, came hours before prosecutors dropped charges against her. She had been accused of handling the Class B drug after she developed cannabis chocolate for sufferers. Ivol, from South Ronaldsay, had denied charges of distributing, possessing and producing cannabis - even though she admitted in court that she had possessed, produced and distributed the drug. The 55-year-old had revealed she planned to take her life once the trial was over, and had arranged her funeral. As Ivol lay in hospital today, the case was formally dropped at Kirkwall Sheriff Court. Procurator-fiscal Sue Foard accepted a medical report which said Ivol was not fit to stand trial because of her illness and it was inappropriate to continue. Sheriff Colin Scott Mackenzie told the court it was "an unsatisfactory ending to a sad case". He added: "Given all the publicity this has attracted I feel I have to say questions of legalisation or decriminalisation of cannabis are a matter for the politicians and not the courts." Speaking after the case Clara O'Donnell, spokeswoman for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, said: "In my view those in charge of the case should have dropped it two years ago. In my opinion Biz has not been allowed her day in court." A spokeswoman for Orkney's Balfour Hospital later described Ms Ivol's condition as stable.
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