A MAN who used cannabis to ease chronic back pain is still waiting to obtain medical assistance.
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Paul Christopher McLean was brought before Dubbo Local Court on charges of supplying and possessing cannabis and driving with an illicit drug in his bloodstream.
The 47-year-old from Cobar had previously entered pleas of guilty.
A solicitor said McLean had been accepted into the Magistrate's Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) drug and alcohol diversion program.
"He was referred to a drug detoxification unit but it would not provide assistance while he was still using opioid pain medication for a back injury," the solicitor said.
"He has tried to obtain assistance from a chronic pain clinic but cannot get an appointment until April 8 next year.
"MERIT has located another doctor."
Magistrate Terence Lucas adjourned the charges to December 17.
Prosecution facts tendered to the court said McLean was stopped by police conducting drug and alcohol testing at Coolongolook at 10.50pm on April 14.
Officers detected a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the interior of his Nissan Navara. A saliva test returned a positive result for THC (Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol), the active component in cannabis.
When police searched the vehicle they found 940g of cannabis in sealed bags, an electric blender with cannabis residue, a Cryovac food sealing machine and two rolls of Cryovac film.
McLean told police he purchased cannabis in bulk in Sydney "because it was cheaper".
McLean said he consumed about one ounce of cannabis a week to ease chronic back pain and used Cryovac to seal the drug in small packages to "prolong its life".
McLean said he could not do physical activities because of his chronic back condition . He sometimes gave cannabis to friends who provided assistance.
McLean told police he did not sell the drug for monetary gain.
The court heard McLean had suffered serious injury in a surfing accident in Western Australia.
He had limited mobility, needed a walking stick and experienced constant pain.