AMHERST – Just because some “idiotic law” says he has to won’t stop Rickey Simpson from treating his patients suffering from illnesses such as cancer with cannabis oil. “People have proven to me once again they have total lack of common sense. There’s something wrong with them,” Simpson said outside the courtroom yesterday after a jury found him guilty to one count each of possession of less than 30 grams of cannabis marijuana, possession of less than three kilograms of tetrahydrocannabinol for the purpose of trafficking and unlawful production of cannabis marijuana.
“I thought the jury would see this for what it is and that they would welcome this medicine.” When discussing an adjournment for sentencing, Simpson told Justice Felix Cacchione to put him in jail that day. “It may be better to lock me up right now. As soon as I get home I’m going to treat my patients. I’m going to grow that plant until the day I die, so I might as well be put in jail today. I can’t stop in the middle of (treatment). People’s lives are at stake here.”

In response, Justice Cacchione told Simpson that when a guilty verdict is found, bail is most often times revoked. He did, however, tell Simpson he wasn’t going to revoke his bail. “You have complied with all your bail terms, so for that reason, I am not going to,” said Justice Cacchione, adding that Simpson has until 4pm Wednesday to visit the parole board office to set up a time for a pre-sentence report.

AdvertisementThe Crown’s office went by way of summary conviction to the first charge and indictment by the second two. Simpson could be facing a fine as a sentence to the simple possession charge. The trafficking charge could carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while the maximum sentence of unlawful production is seven years. Crown attorney Monica McQueen didn’t have much a reaction to the verdict, and couldn’t speculate on the sentencing recommendation the Crown would be submitting to the courts.

Simpson’s sentencing has been adjourned for a pre-sentence report upon Justice Cacchione’s request, who also wants to see the crown’s position on sentencing. Simpson will return to court for sentencing at 12pm on November 30, 2007, his 58th birthday.

– Article from Amherst Daily News

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Nova Scotia Marijuana “Cancer Cure” Court Case Turns Into Constitutional Concern

Tom McCoag, The Chronicle Herald
September 14, 2007

Amherst, Nova Scotia – A Maccan-area man who says marijuana cures cancer admitted Thursday he grew marijuana on his property, turned it into an oil and distributed the oil free of charge to people fighting a variety of diseases. However, Ricky Logan Simpson, 57, told the jury hearing his Nova Scotia Supreme Court trial on three drug charges that he should not be considered a criminal because the laws forbidding the possession, growing and distribution of marijuana are unconstitutional.

Mr. Simpson faces charges of possessing less than 30 grams of marijuana, possessing less than three kilograms of cannabis resin for the purpose of trafficking and unlawfully producing marijuana. The charges were laid following an Aug. 3, 2005, raid on his Little Forks Road property that netted 1,190 plants with a street value of between $400,000 and $800,000.

Rick Simpson leaves court”What am I doing in this court, and what right does the RCMP have to terrorize the public with a law that does not exist?” Mr. Simpson, who is representing himself, told the jury during his testimony. He read his entire testimony from an 11-page document.

He explained he first began using marijuana to treat post-concussion syndrome after prescription drugs failed. The marijuana “did more for me than all of the pills prescribed to me by my doctor,” he said.

A subsequent brush with skin cancer that he cured with hemp oil, and the curing effects it had on dozens of people who used his product, along with different scientific publications, convinced him that marijuana was a “miracle, cure-all drug,” he added.

He criticized his doctor for failing to get him a licence to possess and grow medicinal marijuana, saying the physician refused to even discuss the medicinal value of marijuana.

Mr. Simpson testified that he had not hidden his efforts to help people with his hemp oil. He said that over a four-year period he brought “the miracle cure of marijuana” to the attention of the police, the medical community, two different federal ministers of health, local politicians and the media.

All of them ignored him, he said. He was particularly miffed at the Canadian Cancer Society, which ignored his request to evaluate his cure for cancer. “The cancer society runs from the cure to cancer; they’re not running to cure cancer,” he said. And greedy pharmaceutical companies and physicians don’t want this cheap medication getting into the hands of people because it would hurt their bottom line, he said.

The trial is scheduled to continue Monday when the Crown presents rebuttal evidence. It is expected the jury will begin deciding Mr. Simpson’s fate next Tuesday.

– Article from The Chronicle Herald, Nova Scotia

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