MedicalNeed
New Member
When Jim 'Pinky' Starr decided to undertake a mission to acquire medical cannabis from Holland he did so whilst at the same time trying to ensure that at no time did he break any UK laws. Did he succeed? Its hard to tell.
Jim Starr has been campaigning for the right to use cannabis ever since his life was changed forever by a degenerative condition of the spine. A condition which was later aggravated by a car crash.
Today Jim uses a wheelchair to get round and takes dozens of high strength pharmaceutical pain-killers just to be able to 'operate' day-to-day.
Painkillers which also ensure Jim gets at least a couple of hours sleep a night. But the payback is a lethargy which takes Jim Starr right off his feet and into a state of almost 'vegetative stasis'.
So if at all possible Jim would like to get off the pharma drugs and he will do anything in his power to make it happen.
Ever since a friend offered Jim a cannabis cigarette he has found a degree of mobility not even his industrial strength pain-killers can help emulate, and he has been on a mission ever since, to be able to possess and consume cannabis legally to help alleviate the symptoms of his incurable condition.
Having already been through the courts Jim is no stranger to facing the wrath of the British legal system just for wishing to improve the quality of his life.
And apart from broadcasting the normal rhetoric regarding mental health issues (theories which have been disproved in the UK and the United States), the government stubbornly refuses to open communications with Jim, and the many thousands like him, who could really benefit from medical cannabis (no they really could...we know this now as scientific fact).
Which leaves people like Jim Starr in an impossible position.
He knows cannabis helps with his condition better than any doctor or politician. Jim even has his doctors backing for the use of cannabis, as far as the law will allow currently.
So Jim is obviously going to try to acquire the medicine which suits him best. But the government say Jim can't use cannabis because it might make him mad - we have it on good authority he is well past 'mad' and well on his way to 'furious'.
So as a last resort he took the law into his own hands. Civil disobedience? We'll let you decide.
Off to Holland
Jim Starr took his medical records with him and booked an appointment with a doctor in Holland, where he was prescribed (legally under EU law), 2 grams of cannabis a day for his condition. About £20 worth at todays street prices.
The Dutch doctor even commented on how the alcohol in Sativex excludes the tincture from Jim's treatment regime. "Like pouring oil on a bonfire" he said.
To save Jim some time and money in travelling costs he was prescribed enough cannabis for three months at a time - about 3 ounces in total, which he brought back with him through customs, into Bristol Airport.
In order to head off any possible issues on arrival in the UK Jim phoned ahead, to HM Customs & Excise and told them what flight he was on, into which airport, and exactly how much cannabis he was carrying, as well as why he was carrying it.
He also made sure he carried full documentation to back up his claim that a pharmacy had administered the cannabis under instructions from a registered Dutch GP.
So the scene was set. Jim would shortly find out if his Dutch medical cannabis prescription would hold water in the UK. If not he was sure to be arrested and charged with importing a controlled substance.
Back in the UK
On his arrival at Bristol Airport Jim headed straight for the 'RED' channel, to declare his cannabis to customs.
He was expecting a frosty reception having phoned ahead to let them know he was coming in with three ounces of cannabis in his pocket.
But on this day, even though the UK has recently announced tighter travel restrictions as a result of a terror threat , Customs & Excise decided not to man the arrivals gate at Bristol Airport.
Even though they had all the information they needed to either let him through with a cursory inspection, or arrest him, they chose to stick their heads in the sand and look the other way.
Meaning Jim Starr has been left hanging out to dry by a government agency unwilling to face a very real issue for tens of thousands of voters.
Did Jim Starr legally import 3 ounces of medical cannabis? Or did Her Majesty's Customs & Excise look the other way on purpose, rather than get into a dispute with a man who has everyone on his side except the UK government? And in doing so did they then turn Jim Starr into a self-confessed smuggler who could be arrested for his crime?
Cannazine Comment
Back at his Dorset home Jim is probably sitting, waiting for the knock on the door from a local police force who are well aware of Jim's one man cannabis campaign.
A Police force which is currently locked into a battle with Jim over claims he was exposed to police brutality the last time he was arrested and forcefully taken into custody, without any of the acoutrements required by a severly disabled man and with hindsight its probably a good bet Dorset Police won't wish to get involved.
Home Office - put up, or shut up
So I think for the sake of clarity the Home Office should issue a statement at their earliest convenience, clarifying their position on this.
Or else face a growing tide of disabled, sick and infirm British citizens presenting themselves to customs & excise as they enter the country with their Dutch prescribed medical cannabis.
Simply putting their heads in the sand is not good enough anymore, as more and more UK citizens will inevitably try to use this loophole to acquire a medication they know works.
Its not going to be long before someone sets up a scheduled bus service to Amsterdam. So its important the Home Office clears this up as quickly as possible.
Please write/phone and respectfully ask them for a definitive answer. Feel free to use all or part of the article above to 'accent' your questions. They are duty bound to answer a UK citizen.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source
r.cannazine.co.uk
Contact: Cannabis News
Copyright: 2010 pr.cannazine.co.uk
Website:Cannabis News - Smuggling Cannabis to Numb the Pain - Home Office Must Clarify Position
Jim Starr has been campaigning for the right to use cannabis ever since his life was changed forever by a degenerative condition of the spine. A condition which was later aggravated by a car crash.
Today Jim uses a wheelchair to get round and takes dozens of high strength pharmaceutical pain-killers just to be able to 'operate' day-to-day.
Painkillers which also ensure Jim gets at least a couple of hours sleep a night. But the payback is a lethargy which takes Jim Starr right off his feet and into a state of almost 'vegetative stasis'.
So if at all possible Jim would like to get off the pharma drugs and he will do anything in his power to make it happen.
Ever since a friend offered Jim a cannabis cigarette he has found a degree of mobility not even his industrial strength pain-killers can help emulate, and he has been on a mission ever since, to be able to possess and consume cannabis legally to help alleviate the symptoms of his incurable condition.
Having already been through the courts Jim is no stranger to facing the wrath of the British legal system just for wishing to improve the quality of his life.
And apart from broadcasting the normal rhetoric regarding mental health issues (theories which have been disproved in the UK and the United States), the government stubbornly refuses to open communications with Jim, and the many thousands like him, who could really benefit from medical cannabis (no they really could...we know this now as scientific fact).
Which leaves people like Jim Starr in an impossible position.
He knows cannabis helps with his condition better than any doctor or politician. Jim even has his doctors backing for the use of cannabis, as far as the law will allow currently.
So Jim is obviously going to try to acquire the medicine which suits him best. But the government say Jim can't use cannabis because it might make him mad - we have it on good authority he is well past 'mad' and well on his way to 'furious'.
So as a last resort he took the law into his own hands. Civil disobedience? We'll let you decide.
Off to Holland
Jim Starr took his medical records with him and booked an appointment with a doctor in Holland, where he was prescribed (legally under EU law), 2 grams of cannabis a day for his condition. About £20 worth at todays street prices.
The Dutch doctor even commented on how the alcohol in Sativex excludes the tincture from Jim's treatment regime. "Like pouring oil on a bonfire" he said.
To save Jim some time and money in travelling costs he was prescribed enough cannabis for three months at a time - about 3 ounces in total, which he brought back with him through customs, into Bristol Airport.
In order to head off any possible issues on arrival in the UK Jim phoned ahead, to HM Customs & Excise and told them what flight he was on, into which airport, and exactly how much cannabis he was carrying, as well as why he was carrying it.
He also made sure he carried full documentation to back up his claim that a pharmacy had administered the cannabis under instructions from a registered Dutch GP.
So the scene was set. Jim would shortly find out if his Dutch medical cannabis prescription would hold water in the UK. If not he was sure to be arrested and charged with importing a controlled substance.
Back in the UK
On his arrival at Bristol Airport Jim headed straight for the 'RED' channel, to declare his cannabis to customs.
He was expecting a frosty reception having phoned ahead to let them know he was coming in with three ounces of cannabis in his pocket.
But on this day, even though the UK has recently announced tighter travel restrictions as a result of a terror threat , Customs & Excise decided not to man the arrivals gate at Bristol Airport.
Even though they had all the information they needed to either let him through with a cursory inspection, or arrest him, they chose to stick their heads in the sand and look the other way.
Meaning Jim Starr has been left hanging out to dry by a government agency unwilling to face a very real issue for tens of thousands of voters.
Did Jim Starr legally import 3 ounces of medical cannabis? Or did Her Majesty's Customs & Excise look the other way on purpose, rather than get into a dispute with a man who has everyone on his side except the UK government? And in doing so did they then turn Jim Starr into a self-confessed smuggler who could be arrested for his crime?
Cannazine Comment
Back at his Dorset home Jim is probably sitting, waiting for the knock on the door from a local police force who are well aware of Jim's one man cannabis campaign.
A Police force which is currently locked into a battle with Jim over claims he was exposed to police brutality the last time he was arrested and forcefully taken into custody, without any of the acoutrements required by a severly disabled man and with hindsight its probably a good bet Dorset Police won't wish to get involved.
Home Office - put up, or shut up
So I think for the sake of clarity the Home Office should issue a statement at their earliest convenience, clarifying their position on this.
Or else face a growing tide of disabled, sick and infirm British citizens presenting themselves to customs & excise as they enter the country with their Dutch prescribed medical cannabis.
Simply putting their heads in the sand is not good enough anymore, as more and more UK citizens will inevitably try to use this loophole to acquire a medication they know works.
Its not going to be long before someone sets up a scheduled bus service to Amsterdam. So its important the Home Office clears this up as quickly as possible.
Please write/phone and respectfully ask them for a definitive answer. Feel free to use all or part of the article above to 'accent' your questions. They are duty bound to answer a UK citizen.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source
r.cannazine.co.ukContact: Cannabis News
Copyright: 2010 pr.cannazine.co.uk
Website:Cannabis News - Smuggling Cannabis to Numb the Pain - Home Office Must Clarify Position
