Not even having arthritis was a good enough reason for having 176 grams of marijuana at her home on Sunday.
Therefore, when Samantha Cindy Theresa Bishop went before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court yesterday, she pleaded guilty to three offences of possession of cannabis, trafficking and intent to supply, all on August 23.
Bishop resides at Belle Road No. 1, My Lords Hill, St Michael.
The marijuana was found when police conducted a search of her home and found a loose quantity in a container in her bedroom. They also found two transparent bottles with cannabis seeds on top of the refrigerator.
When Bishop was asked by police to give an account for the drug, she said it was hers which she used for “joint pain”.
In addressing the court yesterday, Bishop told Magistrate Douglas Frederick that she began using marijuana earlier this year after a friend recommended it for her arthritis.
“I got them for that purpose,” the 31-year-old explained.
“So if you have arthritis, why didn’t you go to the doctor?” Magistrate Frederick questioned.
“I did go to the doctor,” Bishop responded.
“But he didn’t recommend that though,” the Magistrate countered.
Bishop agreed that he did not. “They were leaves and they were seeds,” she said, “and I did not expect the situation to escalate like that”.
Taking into consideration that it was her first time breaking the law, Magistrate Frederick ordered Bishop to perform 180 hours of community service and return to court on November 13.