Pubdate: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) Copyright: 2003 New Zealand Herald Contact: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300 Author: NZPA Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) WHEELCHAIR-BOUND MAN CLAIMS CANNABIS EXEMPTION A wheelchair-bound man caught growing cannabis is claiming his submission to a parliamentary committee in 1998 on the drug's medicinal uses should exempt him from prosecution. Christchurch District Court was told yesterday that police raided the home of Neville John Yates, 43, on May 29 and found nine plants growing under lights and about 400g of cannabis. Yates admitted the cannabis was his and said he used it for medicinal purposes to deal with the legacy of an accident in his youth which left him with an amputated limb and head injuries. Five years ago Yates made a submission to a select committee hearing on the issue of medicinal cannabis use. At the hearing, police made an undertaking not to prosecute those who publicly addressed the legal status of cannabis. In court, Yates called for the charges of possession and cultivating cannabis to be dropped. "I find cannabis to be the best for relieving and alleviating the pain and suffering," he said. "I've only ever claimed to use it for medicinal purposes." Mild Greens activist Blair Anderson, representing Yates in court as an untrained advocate, supported his claim of using cannabis medicinally. A conviction on the charges could prevent Yates taking part in a research project on the therapeutic uses of cannabis. "I have to acknowledge the letter of the law and I know that Neville is very aware that his consumption is against the law but he's kept his head down and avoided criminal association," Mr Anderson said. Justice of the Peace Merelyn Redstone committed Yates to trial, saying her role was to assess whether there was sufficient evidence to take a case to trial and not to assess the medicinal use of cannabis. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh