Malaysian cancer survivor may face the death penalty for medicinal cannabis

By Nina Zdinjak

Life has a way of creating scenarios like this stranger than fictional: First, you get cancer. Then you will become strong enough to fight it off and survive. Then, after all of this, you choose to be noble and humane and share the medical lessons you gained in battling your health problems and you are faced with a death sentence … this time for not cancer but a firing squad.

This is the story of Amiruddin Nadarajan Abdullah, 62, better known as Dr. Ganja or Dr.G.

Photo by rezkrr / Getty Images

After he was diagnosed with a painful spinal cord tumor that caused him to lose a kidney, Dr. Ganja, struggling with chronic pain and chemo-related fatigue, looked for alternative treatments that eventually led him to medicinal cannabis in the form of. introduced hemp oil. It worked wonders for him until he was arrested and charged with distributing chocolates and brownies with hemp seed oil. Dr. Ganja is actually not a doctor. He earned this nickname because of his habit of inviting people suffering from cancer and other diseases to his home and sharing his hemp oil medicine with them.

Despite a United Nations decision last year to recognize the medicinal properties of cannabis, many proponents hoped that countries around the world would catch up with evolving attitudes towards the plant. Some did. Malaysia was not one of them. The Southeast Asian country continues to have the toughest cannabis laws in the world, including the death penalty for convicted drug traffickers.

Dr. G., who had served in the Malaysian Army for 22 years, was arrested in 2017 and charged with 36 criminal offenses under the Malaysian Dangerous Drugs Act.

“He’s not a drug dealer or any drug lord,” his daughter Siti told VICE World News.

The Malaysian princess and The Last Prisoner project join forces to create Dr. Ganja. to help

The Malaysian Princess Tengku Chanela Jamidah cooperates with the Last prisoner project (LPP) to Dr. To support Ganja’s appeal, Forbes reported. Together they started an event to collect donations for his cause.

The fundraiser is the LPP’s first international cannabis project, but they’re all in.

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“The Last Prisoner Project offers a vision of freedom for every last cannabis prisoner around the world,” said Mary Bailey, executive director of LPP, a nonprofit involved in criminal justice reform.

Photo by Esmonde Yong via Unsplash

Princess Jamidah said Malaysia should allow cannabis as an inherent human right. A well-known figure in the fashion, beauty and entertainment industries, she has used her broad platform over the past two years to drive the legalization of cannabis. She is also the official patron of the Malaysian cannabis advocacy group MASA.

“I won’t stop until he’s free”

The Princess told Forbes that Malaysians should be reminded that cannabis and hemp have been used by their ancestors for hundreds of years.

“I understand that there are many, inside and outside the family, who oppose what I do. That’s not what I’m afraid of. I am afraid of leading a life that does not do justice to my authenticity and truth, I believe the plant is extremely intelligent and it is our teacher and I would rather live my life in recognition of this truth than a life without the path of my soul to lead and mission, ”said Jamidah.

The princess emphasized the bigger picture and the many patients in need of medical marijuana.

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“We have to look at the epileptic child, cancer patient, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patient who face pain and suffering every day and risk their lives without this proven curative drug. What are my risks compared to your courage and your survival? “

The princess is just as adamant in getting Dr. G as in the cannabis plant.

“Let my voice and my activism be a vessel for Dr. G because we believe in the same truths. I won’t stop until he’s free, ”said the princess.

If you want, you can take part in the crowdfunding campaign by Dr. G. participate. All proceeds will be used to support his death sentence appeal and hopefully his release.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.