Thursday 3 July 2003

A victim of the State

56-year-old Mrs Biz Ivol is seriously ill after an apparent drug overdose:
Mrs Ivol stood trial last month on charges of cultivating, possessing and supplying cannabis, resulting from a police raid two years ago. The charges relate to the supply of cannabis-laced chocolates to fellow MS sufferers.
The case was dropped yesterday when the Orkney sheriff accepted that Mrs Ivol was too ill to make further court appearances. The MS sufferer had threatened to kill herself should she be prevented from using cannabis. She had already made arrangements for her own funeral.

Why on earth do politicians force the police to persecute and prosecute the infirm while allowing criminals to run rampant?

At least the fictional cops are free to show common sense. In a recent episode of The Bill:

PCs Cameron Tait and Honey Harman are called to an old people's home where some of the residents are behaving rather strangely. But it's not long before they find the root of the problems at the home of a green fingered resident.
Yes, he was growing cannabis and the old folk were enjoying some relaxation. PC Tate confirmed to his colleague that he had removed all of the offending plants but was seen to carefully leave one behind.