A Leukemia patient in Colorado charged with the cultivation and distribution of marijuana has won an important court victory, not only for him, but for patients all over the state. Bob Crouse was found not guilty of all charges by a jury of his peers on Friday. The folks at the Cannabis Therapy Institute sent out an email alert this weekend, and it provides us with some background on the case.

Crouse had been charged by El Paso County District Attorney Dan May of felony cultivation and distribution of marijuana. Crouse had been treating his leukemia with a preparation of cannabis called “Phoenix Tears”, developed by Canadian cancer patient Rick Simpson. http://phoenixtears.ca/

Blood tests showed that in the months when Crouse has been able to obtain and ingest a consistent supply of Phoenix Tears, his leukemia cell count has decreased by HALF since his original diagnosis in 2007.

http://coconnect.me/2011/12/22/bob-crouse-misplaced-his-leukemia/

Crouse’s treatment required him to cultivate up to 75 plants at a time. At his trial, his physician testified that this was a reasonable number of plants for Bob to use to produce his treatment. The Colorado Constitution states that medical marijuana patients can have as much marijuana as
medically necessary and that it is up to the patient to decide what that amount is.

How heartless do you have to be to charge someone who is trying to save their own life with cannabis with a crime? If they had measurements for that type of thing, Dan May would be off the “heartless” charts. Are there no other pressing criminal issues in El Paso County, CO for Mr. May to deal with? Has crime ceased to exist in that county, so Mr. May is free to prosecute Leukemia patients for growing marijuana that is allowed under state law?

Is it that hard just to leave sick people alone to choose what is best for themselves?

- Joe Klare