Pubdate: Wed, 09 Aug 2000
Source: Evening News (UK)
Copyright: Eastern Counties Newspapers Group Ltd,2000
Contact:  http://www.norfolk-now.co.uk/
Author: Paul Livingstone

A COURAGEOUS MAN HAS BEEN PERSECUTED

I WAS shocked to read (Evening News, August 9) about the conviction of John 
Crome for the possession and cultivation of cannabis.

In 1999, John stood as a candidate in Norwich City Council elections 
representing the Legalise Cannabis Alliance Party.

I helped distribute his election leaflets in the ward where he stood.

He received 78 votes, which was more than five per cent of the votes cast.

His election literature explained about his medical condition and why 
cannabis was crucial to his medication.

I remember thinking at the time how courageous this man was to have 
publicly stated the case for something he believed in, knowing the risk he 
was taking.

I see from the report that he has paid the price.

This is an instance of the police and the judiciary persecuting someone in 
a serious medical condition for taking the initiative regarding their own 
treatment.

An item in the Evening News a week earlier reported that the High Court in 
Canada has ruled that criminalising people for medical use of cannabis is 
unconstitutional and has given the Canadian Parliament a year to change the 
law regarding cannabis.

Thank heaven a judiciary somewhere is seeing sense on this issue at last.

Paul Livingstone
Peacock Street
Norwich
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart