Social - UK News: Cannabis medicine gran prepared to go to prison

[Pondlife]

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news...ver.3435280.jp

Cannabis medicine gran prepared to go to prison

She uses drug to ease pain of muscle disease

By Colin Drury

A GRAN who suffers from a muscle disease has vowed to keep growing and smoking cannabis to ease her pain – despite being warned she will be sent straight to prison.
Goanita Jacques, 48, was given a two-month suspended sentence for producing the drug when she appeared at Bradford Crown Court. If caught again she will be jailed.

But today she told the Courier: "If it's a crime to ease this agonising pain, they will have to send me to prison."

The gran, of Hirst Grove, Dodnaze, Hebden Bridge, suffers from fibromyalgia – a rare and incurable illness that causes muscles to lock down.

She said: "There's no chance I will stop because I'm not doing anything wrong. If I can't use this drug to numb my suffering they might as well build me a coffin – I can't live in agony."

Miss Jacques was diagnosed with the illness 15 years ago. She is unable to work or drive and after sleeping cannot move properly for several hours.

She first tried cannabis as a painkiller after a medical friend told her the drug was more effective than the near-20 prescribed medicines, including opiate-based tablets, she takes each day.

She said: "These drugs don't work, that's why they prescribe so many.

"Taking that amount obviously has side effects. They leave you dizzy and sick. Cannabis doesn't and it's the only thing that relaxes the pain."

Miss Jacques, who adds the drug to food as well as smoking it, began growing the plants because she felt scared buying
it.

She said: "I'm nearly 50. I don't want to be meeting dealers every week. I've never sold any." She added it was not fair that heroin addicts could get methadone on the NHS while she was criminalised for producing a less-harmful substance.

"This is the one thing that makes my life bearable. No one wants to go to prison but if I can't use cannabis I'm imprisoned by my own body anyway. I won't grow it here but I will find somewhere and keep doing it."

Gerry Crossley, of FibromyalgiaUK, said few drugs were effective against the illness. He said: "We don't advocate anybody breaking the law but are campaigning to get a number of drugs registered that currently aren't."

Should people be allowed to smoke cannabis to ease pain? Vote now in our online poll on the right.

Last Updated: 01 November 2007 11:42 AM

The vote on "Should people be allowed to smoke cannabis to ease pain?" is currently at 84% "Yes".

It's also worth reading the reader's comments on the website.