Mark: Cancer Sufferer, Medicinal Cannabis User; aka a “Criminal”

CLEAR member Mark asked us to tell his story. These are Mark’s words, I’m simply re posting them as he requested.

Derek

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Ten years ago a lump appeared in my neck. For more than a year I was back and forth to the hospital to be told it was a cyst and that it would go away, but unfortunately it never.

After an operation I was diagnosed with stage 4 hodgkins cancer of the lymph nodes (link). Eight tumours had been removed from my neck! Unfortunately because I had been misdiagnosed the cancer had spread to my stomach, my diaphragm and my bowl.

Nearly a year and a half of chemotherapy followed , unfortunately the prolonged chemo caused numerous problems including Raynauds ( severe nerve damage) bowl disorder and suppressed immune system.

While in hospital I contacted MRSA which destroyed my left hip and for years after I struggled through life taking over 330 tablets every month. My body weight went from 13 and a half stone to 8 stone. It was at this time whilst searching the Internet I discovered medical cannabis and after reading many articles I decided to see if this could be the answer after years of medication; I was getting nowhere!

I obtained some cannabis from a friend and tried it and after more research I heard people were actually being cured with this stuff so I decided to try and treat myself. I grew my own medicine, refined it remove the goodness and turned it into a medical butter. Low and behold I was pain free for the first time in ten years. I started to gain weight, felt stronger and my life was back on track – I was a member of society once more.

I was alive again being able to do things I had not been able to do for years, finally I was happy.

My happiness was brought to a stop wen I was visited by the police. I was striped, handcuffed and arrested. Yes, I was a criminal and believe me I was treated as such, locked in a cell, fingerprinted and so on .

The police turned my house upside down, removed floor boards, emptied every draw. It looked like I had been burgled , even though the police confiscated powdered cannabis with all the Thc removed (evidence it had been turned into medicine) I have still been charged with production of cannabis and on the tenth of January I am to attend court were I face a prison sentence and a criminal record which will last for life .

My history is before my illness I was a regional director of a large very well known national company; I have never ever been in trouble before in my 44 yeas of life.

Mmy question is: Am I a criminal who deserves to be locked away from society or am I just a human being who is trying his hardest to stay alive?

If gw pharma produce medicine from cannabis then surely every director and every employee should be arrested and treated as I have been. I really thought this was an equal rights country were everyone is treated the same, if it is then everyone at GW pharma better watch out because the difference is they produce cannabis with intent to supply!

But I suppose if I had 20 million pound to give the government I would be fine to maybe I would be allowed to save my own life?