cannabisnews.com: Joseph A. Hart, Medical Marijuana Activist Joseph A. Hart, Medical Marijuana Activist! Posted by FoM on August 23, 1999 at 08:42:28 PT By Janice Gallagher, Herald Staff Writer Source: Miami Herald Joseph Anthony Hart, the founding director of Key West Cannabis, a club supplying marijuana for medical uses, died Saturday of cancer. He was 51. Hart, an AIDS patient, made a full-time job of pushing for legalization of marijuana and dispensing marijuana to AIDS patients and others suffering from illnesses.The Key West resident said he often smoked up to 10 marijuana cigarettes a day for relief of nausea that accompanied AIDS. He died at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Miami.``All the way up to the day he died, he was working passionately on the cause,'' said Kay Lee, a friend and housemate. ``People were calling the hospital and asking him for advice. His words to people were to never give up, never give up. He was really tough.''Bold about supporting the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, Hart ran Key West Cannabis out of an office across from the Monroe County Courthouse.Hart was arrested in 1995 after a postal employee in New York noticed that several packages being sent to him from Switzerland smelled of marijuana. Charges were dropped, however.Highly decorated for his service in the Army during the Vietnam war, he received the Purple Heart twice, five bronze stars and an air medal for service. He was wounded in duty.Hart belonged to more than a dozen clubs that sold marijuana for medical use.Hart's advocacy work was not limited to Florida. He lived in San Francisco, where he defended the use of marijuana, And he was involved in the Philadelphia Project, a federal class-action lawsuit seeking to legalize the medical use of marijuana. The case is pending. In July, he spoke at the D.C. Smoke-In, a marijuana legalization event in Washington, D.C.``Advocating for the legalization of marijuana was his big quest,'' said Michael Marko, a friend who photographed Hart for several projects, including a High Times magazine article. ``Often times he supported patients' marijuana from his own pocket. He never sold it for profit.'' Survivors include four brothers, Leonard Hart of Parkertown, N.J., and Thomas Hart, Gerald Hart and James Hart, all of Staten Island, N.Y.; and three sisters, Katherine Hart and Marianna Ciardiello, both of Staten Island, and Nora Merlino of Parkertown, N.J.Published Monday, August 23, 1999Miami Heralde-mail: jgallagher herald.comRelated Article's On Joe HartTrue Love Strikes When You Least Expect It - 8/07/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread2392.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 30, 1999 at 20:05:56 PT: Joe Hart's Memorial Celebration! - 8/30/99 Something for Everyone No funerals and dirges for Joe Hart. No, he wanted a celebration of his life, not a sad acknowledgement of his death. In honor of Joe Hart, the following activities are scheduled:Saturday, September 4th Celebration of the Life of Joe Hart Time: 6:00 pm, Saturday evening. Location: 801 Georgia Street, Key West, FL 33040Hosted by Joe's friends at Unitarian Universalist FellowshipWe would appreciate our guests from the island bringing a covered dish if possible, and all may bring a green candle to light in honor of Joe and all the patients he fought so valiantly for and all the prisoners he might have joined. If you feel the urge, anyone will be welcome to speak a few words. Wine and beverages will be served. Dress Casual SUNDAYJOE'S CELEBRATION MEMORIAL Time: 4:00 begin gathering at the 801 Club for seats. 5:00pm Key West's version of BINGO begins.6:00pm Dinner downstairs Location: 801 Bourbon Street (2nd floor) 801 Duval Street, Key West, Fl 33040 For the more adventurous among our guests, Joe's friends in Key West are hosting Sunday afternoon BINGO in Joe's honor. This is a slightly risqué hour of fun with audience participation. The prizes are "damn cups" and gift certificates to the watering holes around town.JOE HART'S "MUNCH OUT CELEBRATION" After all the prizes have been won, about 6:00 pm, we will move downstairs into the main bar where Medical Cannabis Key West patients will offer food and conversation.Out of towners will be offered accommodations at various homes in Key West, including the Medical Cannabis KW headquarters where Joe Hart lived and worked.IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND: If any of you cannot attend but wants to be a part of Joe's final goodbye, you may send a green candle to Kay Lee at 909 Virginia Street #B, Key West. These candles will be set up for the drug war prisoners Joe and I worried so much about.Or monetary donations may be made in Joe's name to Aids Help Inc.at P.O. Box 4347, Key West, FL 33041-4374Attn: Peter Herrick.Please make note that the donation to Aids Help is in Joe Hart's name. For more information call or to volunteer food contact: Medical Cannabis Key West Director, Kay Lee 305-293-1865Kay Lee AKA Grandma LeeThe Truth As I See Ithttp://www.zyworld.com/kay~lee/home.htm ***************************************A Smuggler's Tales From Jailshttp://www.zyworld.com/kay~lee/garywaid.htm ******************************************* Freedom has a thousand charms to show, That slaves, howe'er contented, never know. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 25, 1999 at 10:13:41 PT: A Letter From Kay Lee - 8/23/99 Dear Friends, Our friend, Joe Hart, died early this morning (Saturday August 21, 1999) at the Veterans Hospital in Miami, Florida. He lived for fourteen years with AIDS, but died in only seven months from cancer. Joe was a long time, staunch defender of the right to use marijuana in a medical fashion. He was founder and director of the Medical Cannabis Club in Key West and had faced down the law two times to protect his patients. I am in a motel in Starke, Florida. The call came early this morning. I was getting ready to hold vigil against the FL State Prisons; the harm of violent prison guards and medical mal-treatment. Joe was excited about this effort. Without Julio Margalli, a public defender who cared, Joe could have spent the last agonizing months in Butler Medical Prison. No media showed up at the vigil and many people in this small prison supported community shouted obscenities and made crude gestures. I would have been discouraged except for two things, I met four more families with stories of wrong doings and all day my disappointment was washed away by remembering Joe's words, "Defeat is not an option". I was heartbroken that I was not there when Joe took his last labored breath, but then he reminded me that his spirit is with me wherever I go. Looking Forward, Kay Lee More information will be posted as it becomes available. The Truth As I See It [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: