A Canadian man has been jailed for life in Dubai for taking medical use CBD and cannabis on the plane with him.
Maurice Kevin O'Rourke, from Mississauga, Ontario, was prescribed CBD oil and cannabis - both of which are completely legal in Canada - to manage the chronic pain caused by the rare and life-threatening Addison's disease.
But when the 64-year-old transited through Dubai on his way to South Africa on July 3, he was detained for carrying his medical use CBD oil and cannabis in his luggage and taken to Al Awir prison. The carpenter has now been sentenced to life in prison in the United Arab Emirates city.
'Our world fell apart. Our daughter Maegan and I are shattered. We're in disbelief,' said his wife Pamela O'Rourke after the shocking ruling.
'Kevin accepts that he shouldn't have travelled while on medication but he doesn't deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison. It was an innocent mistake.'
'When he was arrested, local doctors had a hard time getting the medications, which impacted his immune system. He contracted an MRSA infection, had two emergency surgeries, spent 40 days in hospital and has subsequently been fighting an infection.'
Mrs O'Rourke added: 'He has an open wound in prison, in 3 months he went from being strong and healthy to being in a wheelchair. It's been incredibly distressing and life threatening for him.'
Mr O'Rourke is appealing the sentence, with a trial set for December 25. But if the original judgement is upheld, Mr O'Rourke could die in a Dubai prison.
"Dubai's prison system will not provide adequate medical care and he will be deprived of necessary medication and care," Radha Stirling, Crisis Manager and CEO of human rights organisation Detained in Dubai who is helping the family, said.
'The suffering of prisoners is not of concern to authorities in the UAE.'
What is Addison's disease?
Addison's disease is a condition where adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones like cortisol and aldosterone...