Serpo
29th April 2013, 05:42 PM
'I'm being prosecuted for being ill': Ex-PCSO says she is prepared to go to jail for smoking cannabis because it helps her MS
Susan Lunn, 43, from Hull, was given six-month conditional discharge
Magistrates warned she will face 'much worse punishment' if caught again
The mother-of-one who was diagnosed 17 years ago says she won't stop
By Harriet Arkell (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Harriet+Arkell) and Sophie Evans (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Sophie+Evans)
PUBLISHED: 15:15 GMT, 29 April 2013 | UPDATED: 16:51 GMT, 29 April 2013
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http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-198ABD79000005DC-484_306x448.jpg Susan Lunn, 43, from Wallasey, was handed a six-month conditional discharge for possessing cannabis, which she uses to help with her MS
A former police PCSO suffering from multiple sclerosis has vowed to continue smoking cannabis even if it means going to jail.
Susan Lunn, 43, was been handed a six-month conditional discharge for possessing the illegal drug.
She said she uses cannabis every day as medical relief from her condition, which sees her battle muscle spasms, headaches, bladder problems and tremors on a daily basis.
Now Ms Lunn has been told she will face a 'much worse punishment' if she is caught possessing the Class B drug in the next six months.
But the former Humberside Police special constable has said she will carry on smoking cannabis regardless of the law.
The mother-of-one, who was diagnosed with MS 17 years ago, said: 'I'm not going to stop doing it.
'If I gave up cannabis, the results would be absolutely devastating. I smoke it every day and it has helped me to live a relatively normal life.
'It calms me down, relaxes my muscles, stops my shakes and helps keep my mild epilepsy under control.'
Ms Lunn, who is on daily medication including injections for her condition, branded her sentence 'completely unjust'.
She said: 'I have given so much to the community through my work as a special constable and I feel let down by the justice system.
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'It's as if I am being prosecuted for being ill.'
The former community support officer from Hull, East Yorkshire, was arrested on December 22 after her neighbours smelt the drug and alerted the police.
It was the third time in nine months that police had raided her home, and she had already received a warning and a caution.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-198ABCBD000005DC-654_634x413.jpg Ms Lunn says she uses cannabis every day to give her relief from the headaches, spasms and tremors caused by her condition
Representing her at Hull Magistrates' Court, Geoffrey Ellis, said: 'Every so often, a case comes along that really shouldn't be in the court - and this is one of those cases.
'This lady's condition causes her immense suffering and cannabis is one of the only treatments that actually helps.
'This is criminalising somebody who is using the drug as medical relief.'
Mr Ellis also pointed out that cannabis-based substances are available through the NHS elsewhere.
He said: 'This lady's doctors are aware she is using the drug to self-medicate and they have not warned her against it.
'The NHS won't prescribe it in this area as it is very expensive and they are reluctant to spend that amount of money on this type of drug.'
Ms Lunn, who was smoking £20-worth of cannabis a day to help her condition when she was arrested in December last year, was joined in court by nine campaigners for cannabis legalisation reform.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-198ABD9A000005DC-311_306x423.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-164CB12A000005DC-88_306x423.jpg
Ms Lunn says she will continue to use cannabis, pictured right, to help her symptoms even if she's risking jail
One of the campaigners, Carl Wagner, 54, said: 'Sue shouldn't have been prosecuted in the first place. Everyone should have the right to use cannabis for medical purposes, especially people with severe, life-changing conditions like multiple sclerosis.
'She should have received an absolute discharge and I think it's a disgrace that she didn't.'
'I don't understand how it can be in the public interest to arrest someone like Sue who needs cannabis to function properly.'
Sentencing Ms Lunn, magistrates' chairman Anita Hall said: "We have sympathy with the situation you are in. However, you have broken the law.
'If you are found in possession of cannabis in the next six months, you will find yourself back here and the punishment will be much worse.'
Following angry cries from the public gallery, Ms Hall added: 'We have been as understanding as we can within the law. It could have been far worse, believe me.'
Susan, who claims disability benefits, was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a victims' surcharge of £15 at the hearing last week.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316618/Im-prosecuted-ill-Ex-PCSO-says-prepared-to-jail-smoking-cannabis-helps-MS.html#ixzz2Ru2L2eIG
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Susan Lunn, 43, from Hull, was given six-month conditional discharge
Magistrates warned she will face 'much worse punishment' if caught again
The mother-of-one who was diagnosed 17 years ago says she won't stop
By Harriet Arkell (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Harriet+Arkell) and Sophie Evans (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Sophie+Evans)
PUBLISHED: 15:15 GMT, 29 April 2013 | UPDATED: 16:51 GMT, 29 April 2013
Comments (0) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316618/Im-prosecuted-ill-Ex-PCSO-says-prepared-to-jail-smoking-cannabis-helps-MS.html#comments)
Share (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316618/Im-prosecuted-ill-Ex-PCSO-says-prepared-to-jail-smoking-cannabis-helps-MS.html#socialLinks)
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-198ABD79000005DC-484_306x448.jpg Susan Lunn, 43, from Wallasey, was handed a six-month conditional discharge for possessing cannabis, which she uses to help with her MS
A former police PCSO suffering from multiple sclerosis has vowed to continue smoking cannabis even if it means going to jail.
Susan Lunn, 43, was been handed a six-month conditional discharge for possessing the illegal drug.
She said she uses cannabis every day as medical relief from her condition, which sees her battle muscle spasms, headaches, bladder problems and tremors on a daily basis.
Now Ms Lunn has been told she will face a 'much worse punishment' if she is caught possessing the Class B drug in the next six months.
But the former Humberside Police special constable has said she will carry on smoking cannabis regardless of the law.
The mother-of-one, who was diagnosed with MS 17 years ago, said: 'I'm not going to stop doing it.
'If I gave up cannabis, the results would be absolutely devastating. I smoke it every day and it has helped me to live a relatively normal life.
'It calms me down, relaxes my muscles, stops my shakes and helps keep my mild epilepsy under control.'
Ms Lunn, who is on daily medication including injections for her condition, branded her sentence 'completely unjust'.
She said: 'I have given so much to the community through my work as a special constable and I feel let down by the justice system.
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'It's as if I am being prosecuted for being ill.'
The former community support officer from Hull, East Yorkshire, was arrested on December 22 after her neighbours smelt the drug and alerted the police.
It was the third time in nine months that police had raided her home, and she had already received a warning and a caution.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-198ABCBD000005DC-654_634x413.jpg Ms Lunn says she uses cannabis every day to give her relief from the headaches, spasms and tremors caused by her condition
Representing her at Hull Magistrates' Court, Geoffrey Ellis, said: 'Every so often, a case comes along that really shouldn't be in the court - and this is one of those cases.
'This lady's condition causes her immense suffering and cannabis is one of the only treatments that actually helps.
'This is criminalising somebody who is using the drug as medical relief.'
Mr Ellis also pointed out that cannabis-based substances are available through the NHS elsewhere.
He said: 'This lady's doctors are aware she is using the drug to self-medicate and they have not warned her against it.
'The NHS won't prescribe it in this area as it is very expensive and they are reluctant to spend that amount of money on this type of drug.'
Ms Lunn, who was smoking £20-worth of cannabis a day to help her condition when she was arrested in December last year, was joined in court by nine campaigners for cannabis legalisation reform.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-198ABD9A000005DC-311_306x423.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/04/29/article-2316618-164CB12A000005DC-88_306x423.jpg
Ms Lunn says she will continue to use cannabis, pictured right, to help her symptoms even if she's risking jail
One of the campaigners, Carl Wagner, 54, said: 'Sue shouldn't have been prosecuted in the first place. Everyone should have the right to use cannabis for medical purposes, especially people with severe, life-changing conditions like multiple sclerosis.
'She should have received an absolute discharge and I think it's a disgrace that she didn't.'
'I don't understand how it can be in the public interest to arrest someone like Sue who needs cannabis to function properly.'
Sentencing Ms Lunn, magistrates' chairman Anita Hall said: "We have sympathy with the situation you are in. However, you have broken the law.
'If you are found in possession of cannabis in the next six months, you will find yourself back here and the punishment will be much worse.'
Following angry cries from the public gallery, Ms Hall added: 'We have been as understanding as we can within the law. It could have been far worse, believe me.'
Susan, who claims disability benefits, was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a victims' surcharge of £15 at the hearing last week.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316618/Im-prosecuted-ill-Ex-PCSO-says-prepared-to-jail-smoking-cannabis-helps-MS.html#ixzz2Ru2L2eIG
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter (http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=MailOnline) | DailyMail on Facebook (http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail)