Addict gets 9 months for drug possession

An ex-convict has been sentenced to nine months in prison for drug possession after he was caught carrying methamphetamine into a hospital in Jing'an district, the local court said Friday.

The defendant, whom the court called Yang Shi, in his 50s, was charged with illegal drug possession after he showed up at a hospital on February 11 with methamphetamine in his bag, according to a press release from Jing'an District People's Court.

Yang went to the hospital with his pregnant wife, who was suffering from abdominal pains, the court said. Doctors gave Yang's wife an abortion after discovering that the 2-month-old fetus she was carrying had died.

At some point, a staff member saw what appeared to be an illegal drug in Yang's bag when he opened it. The hospital staff then called police.

The next day, a hospital doctor called Yang into his office under the pretext that he had information about Yang's wife, who was still being treated after the abortion.

Police arrested Yang when he arrived. They found 18.25 grams of methamphetamine in several plastic bags and one bottle in Yang's bag, the court said.

Yang said he had been addicted to methamphetamine for more than a year, according to the press release. He lived primarily on government subsidies for poor residents.

Doctors found needle marks on Yang's wife, though it was unclear if drug use played a part in the death of the fetus.

Yang had served eight years in prison for theft and four years for assault.