Cannabis gran Pat Tabram from Hexham who baked hash cookies for her neighbours dies

The cannabis dealing grandmother, who made drug laced casseroles at her Humshaugh near Hexham, home was 'ahead of her time'

A cannabis-dealing grandmother who used to cook drug-laced casseroles for her neighbours was ahead of her times, a friend has said after her death.

Patricia Tabram hit the headlines when her house was repeatedly raided by police after they were tipped off about the savoury smells and activities coming from her bungalow near Hexham, Northumberland.

In her kitchen she would cook up home-made herbal cookies, casseroles and soups, all with the special ingredient for her friends, who she said she was medicating.

She even went on to stand against a former cabinet minister in the 2005 General Election, representing the Legalise Cannabis Party.

Eventually the law caught up with her and she appeared at Newcastle Crown Court aged 66 in 2005 and admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

But despite receiving a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years she made it clear she would continue taking the drug.

Friend Derek Williams, who volunteers for Cannabis Law Reform, said: “Probably her biggest contribution was towards not smoking cannabis but eating it.

“That’s turning out to be quite a big thing in Colorado where it’s been legalised so it seems she was ahead of her time.”

The Cannabis Health Service paid tribute to her on their Facebook wall, writing that her fight was now over.

The post said: “As you may know Gran Pat Tabram has passed away after suffering cancer.

“Pat’s fight is over, may she rest in peace.”

Comments on the post included “RIP Grannie Pat - you inspired so many and will be missed so much” and “I hope it’s better where you are than the place you left and if you’re watching I know you won’t rest in peace as the law is still the same”.

Mrs Tabram, who died in August, was first introduced to the Class B drug by friends and she found it helped alleviate the symptoms of depression, whiplash and neck pain.

In 1975 she had found her teenage son dead in his bed, which she said led her to attempt suicide, and the break-up of her marriage.

It was not until she discovered cannabis that she began to sleep properly for the first time in 25 years.

Quickly she began cooking regularly for friends and her fight for the legalisation of cannabis led her to stand against Cabinet Minister Peter Hain in his Neath constituency polling 334 votes.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/cannabis-gran-pat-tabram-hexham-8098953 12/11/2014