A MOTORIST who smoked cannabis to reduce pain from a foot injury was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Christopher Healy, of Willowbank View, Upper Fairhill, Cork city, was stopped in his Ford Transit van at a Garda checkpoint on Marsh Road, Skibbereen, at 8.45pm on September 9th 2024.

The 25-year-old failed a drug test and admitted to having smoked cannabis earlier that day, Skibbereen District Court heard.

The accused, who worked as a scaffolder up until his injury, was brought to Bantry Garda station where a blood sample was taken.

The blood test came back positive for THC and registered over the limit, showing two types of cannabis at 50.4 ng per ml and 5.8 ng per ml.

Defence solicitor Colette McCarthy said: ‘He is not a habitual cannabis user. He did it to alleviate the pain. He should be back to work shortly.’

Granting legal aid Judge Joanne Carroll said: ‘You had some considerable pain and before meeting this checkpoint you had smoked cannabis to alleviate it. A lot of people don’t know cannabis can remain in the system for up to 14 days.’

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)