I saw Montel Williams on CNN this morning. The TV Host has long been an advocate for medical marijuana. He says that thanks to medical marijuana he is able to live a normal life in spite of the fact that he has multiple sclerosis.
He also urged people to stand up and fight back.
Next week Congress is voting on whether or not to authorize federal funds for the war on states that have legalized medical marijuana. Montel Williams is taking his case to Congress. He makes a very good case.
Here in Tennessee, Senator Diane Black has been one of the sternest opponents of the efforts of Sen. Steve Cohen to bring a humane medical marijuana law to Tennessee. Sen. Black is a nurse, yet she shows no compassion for all those who suffer the horrible pain and depression caused by illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and cancer.
While Cohen's bill did not pass, a commitee will study the issue over the summer. If lawmakers hear from lots of us, they will definitely be more inclined to open their minds when the issue returns during the next legislative session.
I'm going to send Sen. Black and my Reps. the following statement by Montel Williams. If you care about this issue, please send his statement to your Reps. and to Sen. Black. (Black also brags that she was a leader in the effort to pass the unconstitutional drug tax law, which is now destroying the lives of Tennesseans, and also causing extreme resentment and distrust for this state's government.)
Email Sen. Diane Black / Email addresses for other Reps./Sens.
Talk Show Host, Montel Williams: The Case for Medical Marijuana
You may know me as a television talk show host, but here in New York I am a criminal. My crime? Using the medicine that has allowed me to live a normal life despite having multiple sclerosis: medical marijuana.
It does society no good to treat patients like me - simply trying to live well and be productive citizens in the face of terrible illness - as criminals. And threatening sick people with jail does not make New York a better place.
When you see me on TV, you can't see the mind-numbing pain searing through my legs like hot pokers. The strongest painkillers available - Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin and even morphine - brought me no relief. I couldn't sleep, my legs kicked involuntarily in bed and the pain was so bad I found myself crying in the middle of the night. All these heavy-duty narcotics made me nearly incoherent, turning me into a zombie. And all are highly addictive.
I spiraled deeper into a black hole of depression. It was so bad that I twice attempted to end my life.
Finally, someone suggested that smoking marijuana before going to bed might help me sleep. Skeptical but desperate, I tried it. Three puffs and within minutes, the excruciating pain in my legs subsided. I had my first restful sleep in months.
Federal law classifies marijuana as unsuitable for use even under medical supervision. But 99% of marijuana arrests are made by state and local police under state law. States can decide not to arrest medical marijuana patients.
Ten states have already done so.
New York now has an excellent chance to legalize medical marijuana. Two identical bills in the Senate and Assembly are likely to be passed by the Legislature. Then, they'll go to Gov. Pataki. The decision will rest upon the governor's shoulders to legalize medical marijuana, which has the backing of Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau as well as organizations like the American Public Health Association, American Nurses Association, the Medical Society of the State of New York and the New York State Association of County Health Officials.
I am still alive and living a productive, fruitful life because of medical marijuana. I'm not alone. There are thousands more like me, struggling for our lives and dignity against serious illness and we should not be treated as criminals.
New York's medical marijuana bill deserves immediate passage.
Williams, a television talk show host, is the author of "Climbing Higher." Originally published on May 31, 2005
