Thursday, May 31, 2007

Our Passionate Legal System

Hi All!

I know a poor fellow awaiting a liver transplant who does pretty much what this article describes. In addition to hellacious cramping, he is relieved of knee pain, nausea, peripheral neurtothapy (walking on red hot coals) and best of all, is more satisfying than the booze that got him where he is.

Despite significant conservative support, our fine governor killed a medicinal compassionate bill by promising a veto. I know him. The former Speaker of the House, the very conservative Steve, who made Tim Paw's political career, authored this bill and 70% of Minnesotan's polled support it.

The Bill went through 9 committees, passed the Senate and failed to be brought to the floor in the House due to the governor's promise. Of all the effing mess this session was, this rare good product did not get to the Governor's desk.

The Speaker and I are staunch conservatives. Too bad the governor and the District Attorneys and Law Enforcement that went into conniptions about "opening the door to a whole new batch of meth addicts via this evil gateway "drug." Sure would be cool if they pulled their heads out of their asses.

Anyway, here is a sad story.

Transplant patient tells court: I need dope for pain


31.05.2007
By COURT REPORTER

A Tauranga man awaiting a liver transplant has been fined $1500 plus $130 court costs after admitting growing and smoking cannabis to help relieve painful muscle spasms.

Brett Michael Ashby, 49, who runs his own contracting business, pleaded guilty to one charge of cultivating cannabis when he appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday.

The court was told that during a police cannabis recovery operation on March 14, 10 mature cannabis plants were seen growing in a gully behind the rear of Ashby and his partner's Ohauiti property.

Police executed a search warrant at the couple's address and found six medium-sized and three small cannabis plants in individual pots in a steel shed at the rear of the property. Three light canopies were hanging from the ceiling to assist in the growing process and behind a black woven mat under a bench in the garage there was a polystyrene container with 14 small cannabis cuttings in pots. Lighting was also set up to assist the cuttings to grow.

A number of cannabis seeds were found in an envelope on top of a set of drawers in the master bedroom. Ashby declined to make any comment to police.

His lawyer Ned Burke told Judge Ian Thomas that his client had pleaded guilty on the basis that police and the courts accepted the cannabis was grown purely for Ashby's personal use.

Mr Burke said Ashby - who had a blood transfusion for a serious liver complaint some years ago and also took part in liver drug trials in 2001 which aggravated his health problems - now suffers muscle spasms. Ashby, who hoped to have a liver transplant in the very near future, had tried other medications but cannabis is the only thing that relieves the problem, he said.

Judge Thomas told Ashby that on this occasion he would accept the cannabis was for his personal use due to his medical history.

How very nice.

My friend says if he gets busted he will welcome prison time and let the state pay for his transplant.

Cheers?



4 Comments:

Blogger Bob said...

Thank you for the post Paul.

I know someone who suffers from chronic depression and they could not keep a job because they missed to much work and she couldn't get along with other employees.

Over 5 years ago she discovered marijuana helped relieved her fatigue. She has maintained the same job since she started smoking pot and it is a job that requires her to interact with others.

She believes marijuana has changed her life for the better.

10:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I also know the person referred to in your post and I can assure you he was not a user of cannabis, merely a supplier. 5 days ago he was arrested for producing methamphetamines and for the murder of another drug dealer.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10449496

5:30 PM  
Blogger PK said...

An interesting update! I rejected a couple of previous from Anon, 'cos I didn't realize what he or she was saying.

Turns out the guy who needs the dope for pain is a bad guy, allegedly.

No way of knowing from the article I posted.

Doesn't change the basic point -- I mean if this guy is a supplier and murderer, lock him up and let his liver rot.

But unreasonable criminalization of honest and decent folks with pain for which no legal drug works as well is just wrong.

8:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How very sad for this man might it be taking into consideration this man is on up for charges of murder and has left 2 little girls with no dad and our family grieving for a huge lost that can NEVER be replaced... so my heart really bleeds for his poor sole not! As far as I’m concerned I hope he gets all that he deserves!

12:59 PM  

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