Campaigners have called for a "cannabis martyr", jailed for trying to supply a terminally ill man with free drugs to ease his pain, to be released.
Gary Youds, of Norris Green, was jailed for three years at Liverpool Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to the production of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of cannabis.
The court heard the 53-year-old was apprehended at Lime Street Station as he prepared to travel to Birmingham to deliver cannabis oil on October 24 2020. His house was searched and revealed a large container of empty syringes - three of which were filled with cannabis oil - a box of flowering heads, a bag of cannabis and a bag of cannabis resin. A second raid, carried out in February 2021, found a grow of six "very large and well-maintained" cannabis plants.
READ MORE: 'Cannabis martyr' told police he was 'saving the city' after they found his grow
A judge at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, February 9, found that he had also been producing and selling "purple haze" for profit.
Activists fighting for the legalisation of the class B drug have now rallied in defence of Youds, who was also praised in court by the wife of the man he tried to provide cannabis to.
Paul Taylor, 53, of the We Are Not Criminals campaign group, said: "Gary's been an activist for the best part of 20 years, and he's been in and out of court for the same offences over and over. He's a man of integrity and he stands by what he believes.
"Gary is not your normal criminal. He's not a career criminal. He doesn't make money from what he does. He's got wonderful morals; he's a non-violent, placid guy."
Since November 2018, specialist doctors have been able legally issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines - but only when all other treatment options had been exhausted. Otherwise, the drug remains illegal, with the maximum penalty for producing and supplying it being 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.
A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "People who grow, supply and use cannabis in any quantity might think they are doing no real harm to others, but we know from experience that it can contribute towards organised crime across Merseyside, where serious violence and disputes are often the result."
But activists say legalising cannabis would lead to a reduction in street crime and county lines, ease pressure on the NHS, and lower criminal justice costs, with taxpayers no longer funding the imprisonment of those currently convicted of cannabis-related crimes.
Youds, who has numerous cannabis-related convictions dating back to 2005, previously ran the Chillin' Rooms on Holt Road in Kensington, a "private members' club" for cannabis users. He told campaigners he set up the cafe in 2004 to "try and be the change... to take cannabis off the streets."
Paul, an Army veteran who discovered cannabis after a serious leg injury sustained in a training exercise left him in constant agony, said: "I was anti-drugs because I was brought up that way. When I came out of the forces I found I was suffering as a result of chronic pain. I went to Amsterdam where I discovered cannabis and was quick to realise it had a profound effect on my illness, to the extent I was no longer living as a hermit.
"Because there was no legal market available, I had to source it from a criminal network. To remove myself from that, I started growing my own plants. I was in the same position as Gary."
As a result, he was taken to court for possession and received an 18 month suspended sentence.
"It was difficult, but without cannabis I wouldn't be able to live the life I do, and it's the same for a lot of people out there," he said. "I was on quite a lot of medication, opiates and painkillers. I found myself addicted to painkillers. I was only supposed to be on the pain relief for months, but I was on it for years before I discovered cannabis.
"It saved my life. I tried to commit suicide when I was coming out of the army - I actually tried to take my own life because things got so bad. It really changed my life. Now I'm a functioning adult and work for a charity for veterans.
"I believe, and what Gary was trying to do, was to negate cost from the NHS. We're all in agreement we can provide a medical market, with a better product grown with care and love. Medical cannabis should be offered the same way as the pharmaceutical drugs are offered. We should be giving every adult the right to choose what they put in their body.
"It will reduce county lines because there will be no need for them. We are putting our heads above the parapet to stop criminals making money."
An onliner fundraiser has been set up to help with Youds' appeal.
Cannabis in the UK
Recreational cannabis is illegal in the UK, and is classified as a class B drug, along with ketamine, amphetamines, codeine, GHB and mephedrone. Police can issue a warning or an on-the-spot fine of £90 if a person is found with cannabis, while dealers face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
Merseyside Police said: “Merseyside Police is responsible, together with all UK police forces, for enforcing legislation brought in by the government which includes that which relates to the possession and supply of controlled drugs.
”With every cannabis farm we seize we also know that it makes our local communities safer places from the serious and organised criminals that set the farms up and use them to exploit vulnerable people and also protects neighbourhoods from the risk of flooding and fire, for example when electricity has been extracted illegally.”
A Liverpool Council spokesperson said: “The current NHS guidance outlines the specific circumstances in which a prescription for medical cannabis would be given. Presently there are only a very small number of people who are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis – and this would only be an option when other treatments hadn’t worked or weren’t suitable.
"There are many cannabis-based products available to buy online, however the quality and ingredients of these products is unknown – meaning they may be illegal and potentially dangerous.”
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