Pubdate: Wed, 05 Jun 2013
Source: Northern Star (Australia)
Copyright: 2013 APN News & Media Ltd
Contact: http://www.northernstar.com.au/contact/feedback/
Website: http://www.northernstar.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5149
Author: Andy Parks

MEDICAL CANNABIS ADVOCATE TONY BOWER RELEASED AFTER APPEAL

MEDICAL cannabis advocate Tony Bower is out of jail after serving only
six weeks of a 12-month sentence after an appeal was upheld in the NSW
District Court yesterday.

Mr Bower was charged with possession of about 200 cannabis plants he
was growing to produce a cannabis tincture.

He distributes the tincture free of charge to people with a wide range
of chronic medical conditions.

Judge Ellis overturned the previous decision and gave Mr Bower a
suspended sentence and a 12-month good-behaviour bond, which means he
will not be able to grow cannabis.

"There's nothing illegal about (providing) the medicine, it's just
growing the plant," Mr Bower said.

"The magistrate was sympathetic and smart enough to understand the
difference between what I was doing, which is growing and supplying a
drug to help people.

"There's no money changing hands."
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MAP posted-by: Matt