The Persecution of a Disabled Man Who Was Medicating Himself with Cannabis Reawakens the Debate on Legalisation in Sweden

Andreas Thörn, 37, had a motorcycle accident in 1994 and has been suffering since then from paralysis as well as strong neuropathic pains that interfere with his day-to-day life. Such extreme conditions have driven him to use cannabis, both for pain relief and to deal with the anxiety and depression that have been plaguing him since the accident.

In 2015, he was taken to court on this account and was finally acquitted on the grounds that his health might be jeopardised if he had to renounce cannabis for medical use.

His case, however, has been reopened, as has the debate on whether citizens should be given the possibility of controlling their own healthcare and the extent to which the State must interfere in this matter. In the midst of this, pro-cannabis advocates have once again pointed out that the positive effects of its use are supported by numerous medical studies, which regard it as a powerful ally for fighting such symptoms as the pains Andreas has to endure.

This use has been relieving him from the strong pains caused by his condition. Initially, he had unsuccessfully tried all the other options given him, albeit without any resulting improvement and with the added encumbrance of strong side effects. Finally, Andreas had no choice but to start putting small amounts of cannabis into his coffee.

As stated in the Swedish news portal The Local, Andreas will be spared a prison sentence or community service work involving physical work due to his health conditions, but will certainly have to pay a fine amounting to 11,700 SEK, approximately €1,200.

Although it is Andreas’s personal situation that has brought media attention to the case and rekindled the cannabis debate, there are many others in similar conditions, which is why he has appealed to the country’s Minister for Justice, Morgan Johansson, for the creation of a committee so as to debate the possibility of changes to the legislation that currently rules cannabis use in Sweden.

Sweden, often presented as an example of an open society, is actually a rather conservative country when it comes to marijuana use. Legally speaking, the country has already recognised the usefulness of Sativex for relieving the pains caused by multiple sclerosis. Its high cost, however, has created a new barrier within the population.