Pubdate: Fri, 27 May 2005 Source: Solihull Times (UK) Copyright: Trinity Mirror Plc 2005 Contact: http://icsolihull.icnetwork.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3404 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) CANNABIS PAIN RELIEF BID REJECTED An attempt to effectively legalise the use of cannabis for the relief of chronic pain has been rejected by the Court of Appeal. Three judges ruled against argument that conduct which would otherwise be unlawful was "excused or justified by the need to avoid a greater evil" and that the defence of necessity should be available to those who used or supplied the Class C drug to alleviate severe pain. The court had been told that cannabis was more effective than conventional forms of pain relief and did not have the potentially serious and life-threatening side-effects of alternative treatments. But the judges ruled that the defences of necessity or duress should be confined to cases where someone committed what would otherwise be an unlawful act to avoid "imminent danger of physical injury". - --- MAP posted-by: Beth