Canadian carpenter, 64, is sentenced to life in Dubai jail

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.

His wife Pamela O'Rourke said after the shocking ruling: 'Our world fell apart. Our daughter Maegan and I are shattered. We're in disbelief. 

'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.' 

She added: '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.

'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.

She added: 'The suffering of prisoners is not of concern to authorities in the UAE. 

'British grandfather Albert Douglas has first hand experience of being denied heart medication and denied surgery for broken bones he suffered after being beaten by prison guards.

'Kevin will not survive in their care. He is too fragile and at risk of infection and life threatening complications as a result of his disease. 

'We urge the Canadian government and particularly his MP, Peter Fonseca, to work with their counterparts in the UAE to help Kevin home. The last thing either country wants is a death in custody.

'We have seen rapists and murderers sentenced to just a few years in jail. How can the courts sentence an older man to life in prison for possessing medication for personal use. This is a man who has made a genuine mistake. 

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'Dubai needs to be sensible here. He was just in transit and did not intentionally put himself in harm's way. He is ill and in need of ongoing and constant medical care. 

'From a human rights perspective, we hope the government of Dubai will understand and allow him to come home'.

Ms Stirling has seen numerous arrests over prescription medication, including pain medication like codeine.

'There is a lot of confusion over whether certain medication is allowed in Dubai. Staff at the UAE Embassy have even given contradictory advice to visitors and enforcement of the laws is arbitrary. 

'Many visitors with CBD have been denied entry/deported while others have had their controlled substances confiscated and been allowed to continue their holiday. 

'It can be very confusing and a lot of tourists make the mistake of believing, as Kevin did, that their prescription is valid or medication allowed everywhere. Countries need to have some understanding and compassion for people who genuinely intended no wrong.

'Unfortunately, Dubai police and prosecutors are incentivised to prosecute drug cases, even when we are talking about prescription meds for personal use. 

'It is unfathomable that Kevin was sentenced to life in prison and a 500,000 AED fine (around $136,000 or $190,000CAD). 

'The reason for the harsh sentence is that the prosecution combined the weights of each medicine to ensure it exceeded 100g and that he would get the harshest sentence. He brought 118g in total, consisting of cannabis, cbd and cbd oil. 

'Had they charged the amounts individually, he would not have been handed such a shocking sentence. 

'Even without a custodial sentence, $190,000 is a huge amount that most people cannot afford. If they can't pay the fine, they won't be allowed to leave'.

What is Addison's disease? 

Also called adrenal insufficiency, Addison's disease is a condition in which the body adrenal glands don't produce enough of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone.

The adrenal glands are located on top of both kidneys and are responsible for controlling hormones that regulate metabolism, immune health, blood pressure, and stress response.

Cortisol is known as the 'stress hormone,' as it increases blood pressure and heart rate to put the body in 'fight-or-flight mode and raises blood sugar levels to provide energy.

Aldosterone, meanwhile, regulates blood pressure and sodium and potassium levels in the blood.

If the body can't produce enough of these hormones, the body can go into an adrenal crisis, also called an Addisonian crisis. This causes shock, which prevents blood flow to vital organs and can lead to death.

Historically, tuberculosis was the main culprit and still is in developing countries.

Infections like HIV, bleeding in the adrenal glands, and cancer can also increase the risk of developing Addison's disease.

Addison's disease affects about one in 100,000 Americans.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the condition most often affects women between ages 30 and 50, though it can occur at any age.

Since damage to the adrenal glands tends to occur slowly over time, symptoms develop gradually. Stress, such as injury or illness, may make symptoms worse.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, steadily worsening fatigue is the most common symptom, followed by having patches of dark skin called hyperpigmentation.

Patients may also experience abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, weight loss, muscle pain, and dehydration.

Cleveland Clinic also notes that patients may crave salty food or have low blood pressure and low blood sugar.

Women may also have irregular periods, lose body hair, or notice an irregular sex drive.

If a patient falls into an adrenal crisis, they may have extreme weakness, severe pain in the lower back and legs, restlessness, confusion, severe vomiting and diarrhea, and loss of consciousness.