Gov. Wolf Pardons Formerly Jailed Ophthalmologist Who Grew Marijuana to Treat His Dying Wife

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Gov Wold Mardons man after growing marijuana
Image via Paul Ezell.
Gov. Tom Wolf pardoned Paul Ezell, right, a former physician who grew marijuana to treat his dying wife, Jayne, left. The Board of Pardons meets in June to consider a pardon application from the couple's daughter, Valerie, center.

Paul Ezell, a former ophthalmologist from Haverford who was jailed on drug charges after growing marijuana for his dying wife, has received a pardon from Gov. Tom Wolf, writes Tom Avril for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

This allows Ezell to apply for reinstatement of his medical license. And while he plans to do that, he said his main goal in seeking a pardon from the governor was to help his daughter, Victoria, who has lost her nursing license after police found marijuana plants at Ezell’s house seven years ago.

His daughter was not involved in marijuana growing, but decided to plead guilty to a drug charge and took probation instead of risking two years in prison. The state Board of Pardons will vote on her case in June.

“The only thing that matters to me is that I paved the way for my daughter to get her pardon,” said Ezell. “She just happened to be in the house that day.”

Ezell was using marijuana to transition his dying wife from the addictive opioids she had been prescribed for multiple medical issues.

Read more about Paul Ezell in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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