Cannabis Grower Cites Pain Relief

A Christchurch company director has won the first round of his legal battle to claim he uses high-quality cannabis head to alleviate his chronic medical condition.

Ian Murray Jackson, 55, part-owner of international software company Triton Commercial Systems, pleaded guilty to cultivating and possessing more than $12,000 worth of cannabis that was found by a police raid at his Burnside home.

Christchurch District Court Judge Ray Kean was told that the "truly exceptional" circumstances justified Jackson being discharged without a conviction.

Jackson's court appearance came less than a day after Green MP Nandor Tanczos released a doctors' poll which showed one in three would consider prescribing cannabis medicinally and one in five had patients who used it therapeutically.

Judge Kean remained non-committal about the merits of Jackson's claim but agreed not to enter a conviction against him yesterday.

He remanded the software engineer for sentence this month so that the comprehensive dossier of medical reports and information about the medicinal use of cannabis could be assessed. The judge suggested that Jackson "would be very much up against it" to avoid a conviction.

Outside court, Jackson said it was inappropriate to comment on his case, but Mr Paul Norcross, defending, confirmed that Jackson used cannabis to alleviate his chronic and ongoing gastroenterological condition.

The dossier presented to the court includes Jackson's medical notes, correspondence with medical specialists, email correspondence with a US-based medicinal marijuana expert, and the suggestion that Triton is on the verge of a world patent deal potentially worth millions of dollars.

Jackson's stand has also been supported by Triton managing director Tony Olissoff, who said he "struggled to find a victim" in many modern so-called crimes. "I know Ian has been very ill and the doctors and hospitals have run him around ragged for four years. He ended up diagnosing his complaint himself," he said.

"I wouldn't want to be published about my view's on Ian's cannabis use. I have my own opinions and I'm completely supportive of him. He's a good friend, a trusted colleague, and a business partner of long standing."

Mr Olissoff said commercial sensitivity prevented him commenting on the world patent deal.

Acting Sergeant Dave Robertson had told the court earlier the police raid on Jackson's home revealed a purpose-built garden shed with a hydroponic unit with computer-controlled lighting and watering.

Inside was a plant with at least $4500 worth of high quality head and about $9000 worth of cannabis head that had already been harvested from another plant, the court heard.

"Jackson said he smoked four to five joints daily for pain relief. He said the operation was so well set up because he was a software engineer and likes to do things right," Mr Robertson said.


Pubdate: Sat, 04 Oct 2003
Source: Press, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2003 The Christchurch Press Company Ltd.
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