CANNABIS GRANNY THREATENED WITH EVICTION

A 68-year-old grandmother who was recently convicted of possessing
and cultivating cannabis will be evicted from her bungalow if she
continues using the drug, her housing association said today.

Patricia Tabram self-medicates with cannabis to ease her depression

Patricia Tabram, who claims the drug helps her fight depression and
other ailments, was found guilty earlier this month of growing
cannabis plants in a wardrobe in her home in Humshaugh, Northumberland.

Milecastle Housing, the association with which she is a tenant, held
a board meeting to discuss her future, and decided not to evict her
immediately.

"The board of Milecastle Housing has agreed to apply to the court for
a possession order, suspended for up to two years, in respect of the
home in which Mrs Patricia Tabram lives in Humshaugh,
Northumberland," said tenant services manager Chris Scott after the meeting.

"If the order is granted, she will be allowed to continue living at
the property only as long as she observes the terms of her tenancy
agreement and specifically does not cultivate, possess or use
cannabis in the property.

"Mrs Tabram has been informed of the situation and that her right to
remain a resident in the Milecastle property depends entirely upon
her behaviour," he said.

Mr Scott said he hoped the decision by the Milecastle Housing would
show them to be a "a responsible and caring landlord" which
nonetheless was "prepared to take the ultimate sanction with
residents who break the terms of their tenancy."

In April 2005 Mrs Tabram was given a two-year suspended jail sentence
after Northumbria Police discovered she was supplying other elderly
and infirm people in her area with cakes, casseroles and curries
laced with cannabis.

The mother-of-three vowed after her latest brush with the law to
carry on using cannabis, which she said was much more effective and
less harmful than prescription drugs she used to take to battle the
depression she has suffered since 1975 when she found her 14-year-old
son dead in his bed.

She said cannabis also helps her overcome the aches and pains
sustained from two car crashes and that it gives her "better relief
than you get from morphine."