A 32-YEAR-OLD man turned to cannabis when conventional medicines failed to help him cope with the acute pain of arthritis.

Blackburn magistrates heard Ryan Edward Kelly bought in bulk to keep the price of his pain relief down.

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Kelly, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £100 costs.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Kelly smoked cannabis for medicinal purposes, adding: “He has arthritis and has excruciating pain in his joints. In the past he was prescribed muscle relaxants and strong pain killers but they had no effect.”