In Polynesia, acquittal for a father who treated his son with cannabis

A 47-year-old family man, Ariimatani Vairaaroa, was acquitted by the Papeete court after being prosecuted for illegal use of cannabis. The father grew cannabis to produce oil for her son, who suffers from severe epilepsy.

The Genesis of a Legal Battle

The story began in 2011 when Mr. Vairaaroa's infant son began to suffer from severe epileptic seizures. These crises, which occurred up to twenty times a day, began after the child received a vaccine. As conventional medications proved ineffective, the family began searching for other solutions. They first tried traditional Tahitian medicine, ra’au tahiti, before discovering the therapeutic benefits of’cannabis oil.

Vairaaroa's decision to cultivate cannabis was motivated by the deteriorating health of his son and the lack of effective conventional treatments. He began to produce’cannabis oil, which significantly reduced her son's epileptic seizures.

In April 2022, a gendarmerie patrol discovered over a hundred plants of cannabis on the family property in Taiarapu. Despite the obvious medical purpose of the cultivation, Vairaaroa was prosecuted for illicit drug use.

The Court's human position

The legal proceedings took a different turn when the prosecutor general, Michel Mazars, visibly moved by Vairaaroa's testimony, requested a waiver of sentence. This rare gesture highlighted the prosecutor's understanding of the father's dire situation and the shortcomings of current laws. Thibault Millet, Vairaaroa's lawyer, insisted on this point, arguing that the legislation was outdated and did not take into account compassionate use for medical purposes.

«It is a great moment of justice,» said Me Millet, emphasizing the need for legal reform.

In court, Mr. Vairaaroa recounted his son's heartbreaking illness journey and the difficulties his family faced.’cannabis oil not only reduced the crises but had also allowed her son to walk briefly, a significant improvement that was reversed when authorities destroyed the plants. Vairaaroa expressed her deep desire for her son's well-being by stating, «I want my son to bury me, not for me to bury him.».

The acquittal, while a relief for Vairaaroa and her family, did not address the larger issue of Legalization of medical cannabis in French Polynesia. Mr. Millet highlighted the inconsistency of regulations, noting that the law in metropolitan France allows certain products cannabis with low THC, whereas Polynesian laws are much stricter.

Following the acquittal, a palpable sense of relief and hope was felt. Mr. Vairaaroa expressed his gratitude to the court for their understanding and compassion. However, the family's fight is far from over. Without legal authorization to cultivate cannabis, the boy's health could deteriorate again. Mr. Vairaaroa is now considering possible legislative changes that would allow him to legally cultivate the plant and continue to treat his son.

The Medical Cannabis Act The Assembly of Polynesia must be debated soon.