Jury Finds Woman NOT Guilty of Manufacturing Drugs Because the Marijuana She Grew Was MedicineBy Justin Gardner Years ago, Kirouac was prescribed medical cannabis by a doctor in Maine to treat chronic pain where opioids failed. Maine has long acknowledged the healing power of cannabis, enacting their first medical legalization in 1999. Florida, however, is still in a primitive state regarding medical cannabis, and Kirouac was forced to become a criminal to treat her medical conditions. She cultivated plants to produce her own medicine; for this she was arrested and charged with manufacturing cannabis. Dr. Dustin Sulak, the Maine physician who prescribed her medical cannabis, flew down to testify in her defense. Many of the medications she failed because she couldnt tolerate the adverse affects, some she failed because they simply couldnt help her, said Dr Sulak. He went on to tell the Florida court, I believe that this medication could relieve a significant amount of human suffering. Kirouacs attorney, Michael Minardi, mounted a medical necessity defense that outweighed the crime which would have brought up to five years in jail. Thankfully, the jury sided with the defense, realizing that there is no crime here. [Kirouac] is now hoping this decision provides hope to others in similar situations. They should not be prohibited from using it, they should not be prosecuted, brought to court, brought to jail in handcuffs like I was for hurting no one. Minardi was equally emotional after his successful defense, saying, Were talking about peoples lives here. Were talking about suffering and dying people. And if you dont have compassion for thatyoure not human. This is a great victory in that freedom was preserved for someone who simply used a medicinal plant and harmed no one, but Kirouac is still not free to continue using medical cannabis. She and her attorney are now turning their energy to the upcoming vote in November, where the people of Florida have a chance to legalize medical cannabis. If it passes, Florida will join 25 other states that have embraced scientific knowledge and the advancement of freedom. The only crimebeing committedis the State continuing to lock people in a cage for utilizing the healing power of cannabis. But there are powerful forces seeking to preserve this great injustice. As numerous states are set to vote on cannabis legalization this November, opioid drug makers are pouring money into campaigns to keep prohibition in place. In Arizona, Insys Therapeutics donated $500,000 to a campaign opposing marijuana legalization. This pharma company makes huge profits from fentanyl, which is helping to drive an opioid overdose epidemic in the U.S. Insys, which is currently being investigated for marketing fraud, also happens to be working on a synthetic version of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. The company has plainly stated that legal cannabis is a threat to their profits. November will tell us whether the tide of public opinion can overcome efforts by Big Pharma and prohibitionist lawmakers to preserve the status quo of locking people in a cage for using a medicinal plant. The jury nullification in Florida, on behalf of Bridget Kirouac, gives us great hope. Justin Gardner writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared. This case begs the question of what is the point of being in one of the United States if you can be jailed for your health treatment by crossing some invisible line from another state. if you dont have compassion for thatyoure not human. That pretty well sums it up, doesnt it? They should go back and find out who OKd this prosecution to proceed and then arrest and jail them for being such a threat to society by being so stupid. This is prosecutorial idiocy at the highest. Well at least the jury got it right Time to build tall, sturdy fences and guard towers around Washington DC, most State Capitals, Wall Street and Law Enforcement/Judical Facilities and bring criminal activity to an end. Cmon Florida join with Colorado and IMBIBE for the health of it whilst watching gorgeous sunsets and a little help from your friends. 