AMPUTEE'S DRUG CROP 'EASED PAIN'

It was a desperate quest for pain relief that led double amputee
Stephen John Tiplady to grow cannabis in his garage, the Blenheim
District Court heard yesterday.

When police found the growing operation, 12 maturing plants were under
lights and in the corner of the garage a converted fridge housed
another 20 smaller cannabis plants.

The 53-year-old Spring Creek man, who lost an arm and a leg in an
accident, had read about the pain relief cannabis could give. He then
researched how to grow it because he did not want to buy from dealers.
Through trial and error he established enough plants to create a
constant supply of cannabis.

Tiplady's lawyer, Mike Hardy Jones, said Tiplady was "at his wits'
end" because of the pain he suffered daily and had been forced to give
up his job.

He said this was partly because the pain relief medication given to
him by doctors meant most days he could not get out of bed.

Mr Hardy Jones said once he was caught, Tiplady swore never to use
cannabis again.

"It was done for a genuine, albeit misguided, purpose," Mr Hardy Jones
said.

"For him to find himself in this situation now is devastating for him
and his family."

Judge Tony Zohrab said Tiplady's research had led to a sophisticated
growing operation. Tiplady took up to 20 pills a day for his pain,
which caused significant problems.

The defendant was fined $1250 plus $130 court costs. Unable to
sentence Tiplady to community work because of his condition, Judge
Zohrab said that on his minimal income, the fine would be enough punishment.

He said Tiplady had no previous cannabis convictions and if he was
caught growing cannabis again the outcome would be different.