cannabisnews.com: Vasconcellos Statement about Peter McWilliams!





Vasconcellos Statement about Peter McWilliams!
Posted by FoM on February 19, 1999 at 07:07:16 PT

 Senator John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) today issued thefollowing statement in supporting Peter McWilliams’ entreaty to the federal court that has denied him access to life-preserving medical marijuana while he battles AIDS and cancer as well as drug conspiracy.
"Today I stand in spirit with my friend of 20 years, PeterMcWilliams, as he continues his heroic fight against a federaljudiciary that has continued to thumb its collective nose at the 5.6million California voters who passed Proposition 215, that hasperpetuated the heartlessness of the Clinton Administration in ignoringthe medical benefit of marijuana to thousands of suffering Californians."I find myself repeatedly outraged at the federaljudiciary’s disconnect from the will of their friends, family,neighbors – fellow California voters – who declared in no uncertainterms they want sick and suffering Californians, with the advice oftheir physicians, to have access to marijuana for medicinal purposeswithout criminal jeopardy. The arrogance and inhumanity of the federaljudiciary and the Clinton Administration achieve levels of Beltwaymentality that rivals the impeachment trial."As a result of precipitous action by the court, Mr.McWilliams – whose health was long stable with the use of medicinalmarijuana – is now in failing health. He can only keep down his AIDSand cancer medications through the use of medicinal marijuana to dealwith his nausea. His viral load has risen from under to 400 copies permilliliter to over 250,000. His life is in jeopardy. The judgeresponsible for this decision must be held accountable for jeopardizingMr. McWilliams’ life."Tragically, the federal court in Mr. McWilliams’ case hasexceeded this arrogance and inhumanity to the point of verging oncriminal culpability. The voters of California have said that patientslike Mr. McWilliams can have access to medicinal marijuana; how darethe court conclude that Mr. McWilliams has no right to medicinalmarijuana BEFORE a jury has determined whether he is in compliance withProposition 215!"Two years after the voters passed Proposition 215, thepolitical leadership in our state is finally in sync with the voterswishes. Governor Davis appears far more sympathetic than formerGovernor Wilson; Attorney General Lockyer has taken a decisiveleadership role in making Proposition 215 work; the leadership in theLegislature supports responsible implementation of Proposition 215. Weare poised to make substantial headway after the 2-year Wilson-Lungrenblockade."It is now incumbent on everyone of us Californians toactivate ourselves in convincing the federal government, its executive,legislative AND judicial branches, that they must abide by the will ofthe voters. A tidal wave of support for medicinal marijuana has begunin the western United States; the future of many federal officialsdepends, in large part, on whether they ride that wave into the futureor, standing in the way, are rendered irrelevant by the voters."SeePress Release And Full Text Of Letter From AIDS Groups Calling For Immediate Access To Medical Marijuana. Endnote from Peter McWilliams: Please help get thisstatement of Sen. Vasconcellos to as many media people as you can, asquickly as you can. Send it to YOUR media list. E-mail it to your localpaper. Put it on your web page. Include it in every chat group. "Makethe most of the hemp seed," proclaimed George Washington, "Sow iteverywhere!" Let’s make the most of this statement. Post it everywhere.Freedom is NORML!marijuananews.com
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