cannabisnews.com: Montel Williams Pushing Medical Marijuana Montel Williams Pushing Medical Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on July 01, 2004 at 13:47:45 PT By Aparna H. Kumar, Associated Press Source: Associated Press Washington -- Fresh off the set of the upcoming reality series "American Candidate," TV host Montel Williams was pushing a more personal cause Thursday at the U.S. Capitol: medical marijuana.The erstwhile host of the "Montel Williams Show" beseeched young congressional staffers and interns to pester their bosses to make marijuana more widely available to chronic pain sufferers. "Go back and start looking it up yourself and understand why it is your bosses are voting against something that will do nothing but help people," pleaded Williams, who has taken marijuana to ease pain since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999.Williams alternately choked back tears and raised his voice in pained frustration while seeking support for a bill by Reps. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., that would make it more difficult for the federal government to impede state medical marijuana laws."I suffer from a debilitating disease that 24 hours a day keeps me in pain," he winced. "I am in pain right now."Nine states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington - allow sick patients to smoke marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.Williams will host the Showtime series "American Candidate," in which a dozen contestants will run in a mock election to become the next president. It airs beginning in August.ON THE NET:http://www.americancandidate.com/ Source: Associated Press Author: Aparna H. Kumar, Associated PressPublished: Thursday, July 01, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Associated Press Related Articles & Web Sites:Montel Williams Showhttp://www.montelshow.com/The Debate: Hinchey - Rohrabacher http://freedomtoexhale.com/dofcomm.htmWilliams To Urge Congress To Legalize MMJ http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19102.shtmlMontel Williams Pushes Pot -- for Medical Reliefhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18797.shtml TV Talker Says Pot is Healing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18784.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by john wayne on July 02, 2004 at 18:37:38 PT lest we forget Montel Williams cheered on the drug war from his bully pulpit before he was sick.So let's hear an "I was wrong" from that corner before we count him as a spokesman.Still waiting. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by OverwhelmSam on July 01, 2004 at 14:48:26 PT Five Avenues of Communication To Your Congressman Thanks FoM. I've already contacted my represeentative about this issue.Whenever you consider contacting your representative about an upcoming marijuana issue, a multi-proned advance is the most effective.Although a personal vist is the most effective, at least make a phone call and talk directly with your representative. If you can only talk to his staff, then have a conversation with them about the subject. Make sure his office understands the manner in which you want to be represented in regard to the marijuana issue at hand.Write a letter that specifically informs the representative the position you want him to take on the issue.Fax the same letter directly to his office.And then send him an email.Four communciation channels per person will demonstrate our resolve. If he refuses to represent you, get another representative. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by global_warming on July 01, 2004 at 14:44:04 PT Amazing Mr. Williams, I feel your pain, I fully support your efforts to "change the laws", as most of the people I know.It is amazing, that in a few short years ago, you were just a "nigger", a "slave", yup, right here in River City,..The battles and wars that African Americans have participated in, are too numerous and mostly never heard. The songs of the slaves, shall someday become our national treasure, and they will inspire our future children, as reminders and historical references, .."Lord how come me here? I wish I never was born. There ain't no freedom here. Lord , I wish I never was born. They treat so mean here, Lord. I wish I never was born. They sold my chillen away, Lord. I wish I never was born. Lord, how come me here? I wish I never was born. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 01, 2004 at 14:20:54 PT Tell Congress to Protect Medical Marijuana Patient ASA ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress to Protect Medical Marijuana Patients! The time to contact your US Representative is now! Visit: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?list=type&type=69to send a letter telling Congress to Vote Yes to Protect Medical Marijuana Patients. Next week the U.S. House of Representatives will again consider the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which would stop the federal prosecution of medical marijuana patients in states that have passed laws protecting them. Even if you have already contacted your member regarding this vote, please do so one more time. Last year the amendment got 152 votes of support. By contacting your representative today to ask for their support, you may help get the remaining votes this important bill needs. Congress knows this is important. The debate last year was emotional and personal. And with Vermont just passing a medical marijuana law and several other states considering it, the stakes for Congress are getting higher. Take a minute to send a letter. We have a pre-written letter you can send, or you can revise it as you wish. Your representative is in Congress to serve you, and your vote matters to them. Hilary McQuie Campaign Director Americans for Safe Access 1678 Shattuck Ave. #317 Berkeley, CA 94709 510-486-8083 http://www.safeaccessnow.org Join the fight for medical marijuana rights!To receive ASA alerts, email asa-subscribe lists.riseup.net [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on July 01, 2004 at 14:05:41 PT Montel Williams Is A Smart Man Sure, we can sit around and debate the issues forever, but does this really get us anywhere? So it may be a gateway drug, so it may impair driving, so kids will see it as no big deal, so it may have health consequences, so people enjoy being high, so what!I'll admit that the state and municipal initiatives are significant, but wholly ineffective against the big budget, manpower, and incessant legislative initiatives of the federal government.Please understand: The only way to stop the war on marijuana is to lobby the representatives in the US Congress to change the laws. This bears repeating: The only way to stop the war on marijuana is to lobby the representatives in the US Congress to change the laws!Failing that endeavor, we must move with determination to support, donate to, and campaign for candidates who will change the laws, and subsequently de-elect the representatives who are intent on keeping marijuana illegal forever (Souder, Istook, etc...), regardless of the reasons.Right now we have an opportunity to make a difference with the election coming up in November. This is the only choice we have, everything else we do will just drag it out, and if we are truly intent on making the situation change, it's time to get busy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 01, 2004 at 13:48:31 PT Go Montel! Thank You! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment