A POWYS man produced a medical marijuana card to police officers when he crashed his car after smoking the drug.

Welshpool Magistrates’ Court heard this week how 35-year-old Joseph Boultwood smokes cannabis to deal with chronic arthritis – leaving him in constant pain each day.

Boultwood, of East Street, Rhayader, was drug tested after he crashed his BMW into a tree near Llangurig on September 8 last year.

On Tuesday, February 21, he pleaded guilty to a charge of drug driving.

Police officers discovered the defendant when they were called to a report of a single vehicle road traffic collision on the A44 at around 3pm on September 8.

“PC Wright attended the incident and discovered a BMW at the scene, driven by the defendant,” said prosecutor Helen Tench.

“He said he’d lost control on a corner and hit a tree. When asked if he smoked cannabis he said he had the night before, then produced card saying he is legally allowed to smoke cannabis for medicinal purposes.

OTHER NEWS:

“He said that while driving he’d turned the traction control off then, as he entered a bend, the vehicle kicked out, he caught the verge and went onto the grass.

“He admitted he had smoked four or five joints the night before, then he gave it a 12-hour window before driving.

“He told officers he had applied for a cannabis carrier card as he uses cannabis to deal with his arthritis.”

Mrs Tench said PC Wright arrested Boultwood after he provided a positive drug test at the scene of the accident; the reading provided was 6.3 micrograms of drug per litre of blood – the legal limit is two micrograms.

Rob Hanratty, acting for Boultwood, said: “The accident had nothing to do with the cannabis he’d smoked the night before.

“However, people think that being a registered cannabis user can be used as a defence, but even though he’s permitted to use it for medicinal purposes, if he’s over the legal limit he’s over the limit.

County Times:

“He has an arthritic condition that means he’s in constant pain throughout the day. Cannabis is the only thing that works.

“Losing his licence will create hardship, as he has a young child he shares care with and the child lives some way away.”

Boultwood was banned from driving for 12 months. He must also pay an £80 fine as well as £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.