Hashishi

Taking cannabis battle to London
10-2-`07 | The Plymouth Herald | by Diana Prince

A campaigner from Plymouth says he is prepared to "chain himself to Downing Street with a big fat spliff" to protest against the ban on medicinal cannabis use.Stuart Wyatt, who says the drug is the only thing which relieves the crippling pain he experiences from an undiagnosed illness, plans to demonstrate in the capital alongside other medicinal marijuana users from across the UK.

Mr Wyatt, 35, of Stonehouse, launched the website Humedi - Home, which calls for a public debate on the use of the drug.

He has lobbied the Government by letter, phone and email for 10 months, but says he has been "ignored and persecuted".

The former musician now says he hopes more than 100 Humedi members will gather in the capital to "severely embarrass" ministers. "I'm willing to be arrested if it draws attention to the cause," he said.

"I've got nothing to lose. It's coming to the stage now where members of the organisation I started are planning to go to London en masse and hijack a famous London landmark within the Square Mile, and demonstrate loudly."

He added: "If nothing else works, we're going to chain ourselves to Downing Street with a big fat spliff."

He said the event would take place in the next couple of weeks if the Government did not respond, but he will not reveal the specific date or location of the event for fear of intervention by the authorities.

Use of the Class C drug is prohibited in the UK, and people who use it for health reasons, such as Mr Wyatt, risk prosecution alongside recreational users.

Mr Wyatt says he is convinced of cannabis's medicinal benefits, insisting he wants to make Gordon Brown realise that "the issue is not going to go away and neither am I".

He said: "For the past two years I have been distributing herbal cannabis through the postal system to benefit medicinal users, and will continue to do so until the Government makes this much-needed medicine available to those who need it."

Humedi is short for Humanitarian Medicinal Distribution and is a non-profit organisation.

If available, Mr Wyatt uses between 3.5g and 5g of cannabis a week, which he eats or inhales through a vaporiser, but says he has been prevented from doing so by a "massive UK drought". He says without the drug he can't sleep, experiences sharp pain all over his body, bladder weakness and shaking.

Medicinal users "feel like we're being tortured on a daily basis", he said.

"Gordon Brown said in his keynote speech that he's there for everyone in the UK and wants everyone in the UK to reach their full potential, but how can I do that when I feel like I've been strapped to a rack?"

Mr Wyatt has booked a 17-seater minibus to take protesters to the capital. Anyone wishing to join the demonstration can log on to Humedi - Home

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HazyBritBoi

Sorry but although he may be experiencing severe pain i can't side with him if he is using it for an 'undiagnosed' illness.

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Yea i can pot in my freezer.....WTF I CANT PUT POT IN MY FREEZER!

stuwyatt

Hi...

Just registered to clarify the point you made. I do actually have a diagnosis, but it is a working diagnosis only - and that is CFS/ME. However, my symptoms are very much like RR MS, and I have been fighting to see the relevant specialists and have the relevant tests for a long time. After my last ambulance trip in April/May, I was referred to top neurologist (and cannabis medicine specialist) Dr Jon Zajicek - and I am seeing him on the 22nd of this month.

Its taken two years so far to get a proper diagnosis, and it is nobodies fault other than the mess that the NHS is in. 3-6 months wait to see specialists... then another couple of months to get tests etc.

I wish I had taken out Bupa cover when I was still working, but alas, Im at the mercy of our failing health system.

Peace,

- Stu

Buzzby

Why should someone be denied relief from severe pain simply because the doctors have not yet been able to figure out exactly what's wrong with him? Not everyone has access to a diagnostician like Dr. Gregory House.

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