Guernsey campaigners react to “unjust” and “archaic” cannabis ruling

Campaigners on the island of Guernsey have responded following the sentencing of three people who supplied patients with medical cannabis.

Guernsey’s cannabis laws have been described as “archaic” and “unjust” by supporters of three individuals, who illegally supplied a number of patients with cannabis for medical purposes.

Sixty eight-year-old Michael Clarke, was sentenced to four years in prison for the production of cannabis at the Guernsey’s Royal Court on Monday 20 June.

He had initially been growing it to help his wife, Mandy, who has a neurodegenerative condition that causes chronic pain.

Lucia Pagliarone, 35, a high profile cannabis advocate and the founder of the Guernsey Drug Strategy Campaign, was also sentenced to three years and three months for the supply of a Class B drug after pleading guilty to charges.

The court heard that Pagliarone had been supplying cannabis to a small network of patients who were using it for a range of medical conditions.

According to reports, she was also keeping an amount for personal consumption for herself, her partner and her adult son, all of whom are now said to have a legal prescription for medical cannabis.

Pagliarone’s partner, and the father to her twin girls, Christopher Burnet, was given an eighteen-month suspended prison sentence for supply and possession.

An outpouring of support

Dozens of campaigners turned up at court on Monday to support the trio and many have expressed their sadness at the outcome of the case in the days since.

A spokesperson for the Guernsey Drug Strategy Campaign, who has been working alongside Lucia for the last seven years, said it was an “emotional time” for the community.

“Given our jurisdiction’s archaic laws, the results from the trial aren’t unexpected to me,” he said.

“I find it hard to see people as kind as Mike going through this sort of trauma. Yes, they broke laws, but one must question how people can defend that argument, when the law that was broken is unjust and based on a time when our world leaders and governments openly accepted and even promoted racism.”

The need for reform

The sentencing came just weeks after the government’s Health and Social Care Committee submitted a proposal to look at legalising cannabis on the island, as part of the Government Work Plan (GWP).

Adam Martel, who runs the Medical Cannabis Patients Guernsey Facebook group, agreed that the law reform was needed to reflect the growing evidence base that shows cannabis can be beneficial for a wide range of conditions.

“My heart does go out to all affected in this case. As much as we now have access to medical cannabis via private clinics if eligible, no one is above the law,” he told Cannabis Health.

“The law does need to be updated to reflect the real world evidence, but we have a long way to go to get there and I’m hoping the upcoming review will bring Guernsey and Jersey closer in line with other jurisdictions which continue to relax cannabis laws.”

While costs have reduced as the market grows, Martel said many patients could still not afford the costs of accessing a cannabis prescription through a private clinic.  

He is now campaigning for what he describes as a “community licence” which would allow patients to benefit from the profits of the industry.

“As medical cannabis access is now opened up to cover a wide range of health conditions, a regulated market for all is needed now more than ever, so people have a choice – as they do with alcohol and tobacco,” he continued.

“The private clinics have been a godsend in the Channel Islands, however I deal with dozens of vulnerable patients weekly who simply cannot keep up with the prescription and follow up clinic costs.”

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