Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jun 2000
Source: Michigan Daily (MI)
Copyright: 2000 The Michigan Daily
Contact:  420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327
Website: http://www.michigandaily.com/

UNNECESSARY DEATH

Medical Marijuana Saves Lives

Last Wednesday, author turned medical marijuana advocate Peter
McWilliams was found in his California home, choked to death on his
own vomit. After being arrested for selling marijuana to medical
buyers' clubs, McWilliams was barred from using California's Prop. 215
(which legalized medical marijuana in that state) as a defense in his
federal trial. He was forced to plead guilty and sentenced to a parole
that denied him the right to use the only medicine that allowed him to
stomach a powerful cocktail of AIDS and cancer drugs: marijuana.

This begs the question: how many more must die before this legitimate
medicine can reach the sick and the dying?

McWilliams' AIDS and Cancer had been in remission with his use of
potent prescription drugs. But the only way he and many other
sufferers of these disorders can cope with the overwhelming toll of
these drugs is with a substance that is still illegal in most states.

The power of federal law to override local initiatives, as well as a
continued rejection by the government's top drug authorities of
marijuana's medicinal claims is directly responsible for this man's
death. He is the victim of lawmaker's continued ignorance. Their
reliance on prohibitionist tactics has long overstayed its welcome.

The tragic death of Peter McWilliams highlights the government's
continued failure to accept the virtues of medical marijuana, despite
its historic usage. Our lawmakers continually withstand the ravages of
alcohol, a drug that contributes to over 100,000 deaths annually. They
also contribute huge subsidies to tobacco farmers, who sell products
that are directly responsible for hundreds of thousands of premature
deaths.

The best figures available indicate that marijuana may fight certain
types of cancer. Some use it to relieve symptoms of certain lung
diseases like asthma. It has also never been responsible for a single
death. It is only our unwillingness to accept the failure of the war
on marijuana that continues to deny patients the medicine they direly
need.
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