One-legged man tells court:'Weed will save my next foot, eyes'

A ONE-LEGGED man charged with cultivating marijuna pleaded with a magistrate yesterday that drinking marijuana tea might save his other foot.

Eric Cummings, 58, of Claxton Bay, pleaded guilty before Alicia Chankar in the San Fernando Magistrates' Court. He was brought into court hopping on his right leg.

Three marijuana plants in pots were brought into the courtroom by PC Daniel Wilson.

Police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan told Chankar Wilson had led a party of police on Saturday to Cumming's home where they found the plants under a step. He confessed, "Boss, I does boil the leaves and drink it. It does give meh eyes a lil relief."

Cummings pleaded guilty to possession and trafficking.

Chankar asked Cummings what he was doing with so many plants of an illegal drug and he said, "Ma'am, I can't afford to buy. I only have this to drink for myself. It does regulate meh blood sugar. I done lose one leg and sometime I does cyah see properly and when I drink it, meh eyes does see better.

"Ma'am, my leg was amputated because of my diabetes and I have younger friends with diabetes who die because they didn't take the weed."

Chankar told him as long as marijuana is illegal, the law must be upheld.

"Use metformin instead," Chankar said.

She fined Cummings $1,000 for possession and $3,000 for trafficking. He was given two months to pay.