Sébastien Béguerie was found guilty of cultivating and consuming cannabis. Since he was using it for therapeutic purposes, he was exempted from the sentence.
Sentenced, but exempted from punishment. On September 8, Sébastien Béguerie was found guilty of cultivation and consumption of cannabis by the Marseille Criminal Court (Bouches-du-Rhône). But the man has put forward a therapeutic use and has obtained, in part, success: he will not have to serve his sentence.
Nineteen cannabis plants were found at Sébastien Béguerie’s home. His consumption began in 2011, in the Netherlands, where he studied. The man then follows a master’s degree in plant science. To treat his mental disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder), doctors prescribed him cannabis. Prescriptions that were provided during the trial.
On his return to France, Sébastien Béguerie again turned to chemical treatments which, according to his lawyer, transformed him into a “zombie”. The argument is insufficient in the eyes of the prosecutor, who requires 15 days in prison suspended. The Marseillais, also founder of the start-up Kanavape – which produces a hemp vapoteuse -, is finally found guilty, but he is “exempted from punishment”.
Often condemned
This judgment is a first in a long legal soap opera around therapeutic cannabis. Its medical use has been recognized since 2013 in multiple sclerosis. But several cases have been talked about. A man with Horton’s disease was authorized at the end of 2013 to consume marijuana, but without being able to cultivate it.
The most common decision, however, remains the ban. Dominique Loumachi was thus prohibited from using cannabis to manage the pain associated with his muscular dystrophy. Same verdict for Bertrand Rambaud, who used it to reduce the side effects of his treatments for HIV and hepatitis C.
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