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The law can be very cruel, even to cancer-stricken 71-year-olds. The Daily News has a feature on Barbara Jackson, who was arrested last month after she bought some bags of pot in her Bronx neighborhood. Jackson was diagnosed with colorectal cancer eight years ago, and tells the News she's been smoking for the past seven to restore her appetite.
"The marijuana calmed me down and gave me back my appetite. My taste buds are gone, but the marijuana helps me get the food down."Jackson was handcuffed and fingerprinted after being arrested by plainclothes cops, but now she has lawyers like Ron Kuby and David Pressman rallying for her. Kuby says, "I am looking for a dismissal in the interest of justice. I would hope the Bronx district attorney's office has more important cases than prosecuting a great-granny for medicinal marijuana." Yeah, we imagine the Bronx DA's office is seriously weighing options, now that there's media attention.Jackson said she puffed marijuana twice a day in the privacy of her home. Jackson, who now weighs 124 pounds, credits the marijuana with saving her life.
"The marijuana has kept me alive; I wouldn't be here if I didn't smoke," Jackson said. "I know it's illegal, but I did what I had to do to make myself comfortable and restore my quality of life."
Jackson and her legal team will be in court today. Back in 2004, Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau teamed up with Montel Williams to encourage the legalization medical marijuana. Williams has been working with the Marijuana Policy Project to advance medical marijuana bills. Also, check out NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Update: The Bronx DA's office didn't prosecute, claiming that there weren't documents to support the case. Or something like that. We imagine it was a little "Oh, man, we're going to look horrible trying to bust a septuagenarian cancer survivor" as well.
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She doesn't need MJ she needs a bullet. Seriously, Why are all these old people living? 50 years ago these people would have been dead. Now, Our social security is taxed, our health care is so goddamn expensive and the quality of life is going down. WHy? it's cause all these old farts are just clinging to life chugging down a ton of pharmaceuticals just to simulate a life. It's over! just go out peacefully. IT's Unnatural to have all these old people still living. You are defying the will of god.
JAS: why don't you start the trend?
Once again the NYPD corners the most dangerous and violent example of all criminals... A pot smoking 71 year old great grandma.
Apparently all the rapists, murderers, thieves, and gang members, all the violent criminals have been caught.
It is about time pot was decriminalized. This is just plain bullshit.
I hope the arresting officer is proud. Did he meet his summons quota with this one?
JAS: 63 (her age when she got cancer) is not that old!
JAS, lets just hope that you don't make it past 40.
Granny needs a working 420/Snow Delivery number. She shouldn't have to go out and buy the good stuff on the street. I hope she gets off the hook.
JAS: I give your troll a solid 9.25 out of 10. Well done.
"there weren't documents to support the case."
riiiiiight. being caught in the act by plainclothes cops results in insufficient grounds for prosecution? since when? i'm glad she's off the hook, dont get me wrong. but these DA's are a bunch of hypocrites. i bet if they busted my white yuppy self buying weed off the street they'd be more than happy to throw the book at me. they clearly dropped the case in order to avoid a public outcry at how stupid it is to police this in the first place.
Kojak, speaking from experience, those digits are difficult to find for the Bronx. Much easier in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Does anyone else think that the attention will actually cause the DA to be harder on her than might have otherwise been? Following the letter of the law to appear unbiased?
this country's priorities are out of whack
If we have a right to our bodies, we have a right to use drugs.
JAS: Lets not be mistaken here... the real revenue problem in our government is the defense budget (67% of US spending) and paying down interest on the 960,000,000,000,000 national debt... thebudgetgraph.com
Citizen, not to mention the $$$ going into building the prisons to hold all the pot smoking grannies out there. The big house is big business!
i thought a small amount of mj possession is a violation not a crime , like a red light or traffic infraction?
there are many well known and respected people that are all for legalizing of medical mj.
there were a lot more comments on this thread a few days ago (mine included).
why is gothamist scrubbing comments critical of the war on drugs?