POT-SMOKING PENSIONER DEFENDS USE OF DRUG

A Pembrokeshire pensioner who enjoys smoking cannabis has thrown his
support behind a grandmother's right to smoke pot.

Jimmy Price, aged 65, was inspired to speak out about his use of
marijuana after 68-year-old Patricia Tabram was taken to court last
week when police discovered cannabis plants growing inside her wardrobe.

Mrs Tabram was ordered to serve 250 hours of unpaid community work
and pay UKP1,000 costs.

Jimmy, of Mill Lane, Narberth, says there is nothing wrong with
smoking marijuana and says if Mrs Tabram uses it to ease her pain
then it is her right to do so.

"I absolutely support her," he said. "I smoke around Narberth and the
whole town knows that I do."

Mr Price says he is an alcoholic but has never managed to stick at AA
meetings, so marijuana helps him control his drinking.

"Cannabis doesn't make people violent, in fact, it has the opposite
effect of alcohol and is very calming," he added.

Jimmy's daughter introduced him to cannabis about ten years ago when
he was struggling to cope with his drink problem.

"I was hitting the bottle and my daughter was home.

"She said alcohol is going to kill you' and she recommended that I
try cannabis instead."

Jimmy says another reason why he smokes pot is because he enjoys it
and thinks it helps to open up the mind.

His home has been raided eight times by police in the past, but that
does not stop him using the drug.

"I think it is unfair that we can be prosecuted for using cannabis," he said.

Jimmy thinks cannabis should be legalised and argues that if most
people in the country think it should be too, then politicians don't
have the right to tell him he can't smoke dope.

Cannabis is now a class C drug after it was downgraded from class B
two years ago.