"charged with 'manufacturing' 17 marijuana plants that he used to treat his Multiple Sclerosis. Wilson faced 20 years in state prison for this crime. At trial, Superior Court Judge Robert Reed would not let the jury hear the reason that Wilson grew the marijuana plants, essentially removing Wilson's only defense."
Senator Raymond Lesniak, who was a chief proponent of New Jersey's medical marijuana law, had this appeal to Gov. Chris Christie:
"I am disappointed by the recent decision of the Supreme Court to deny the appeal of John Ray Wilson. He was merely trying to alleviate the symptoms of a dreadfully painful and regressive disease. It is unconscionable that this Friday he will be behind bars. Three years ago, I called on Gov. Corzine to commute the sentence of Mr. Wilson. After inaction with the last governor, I was hopeful Gov. Christie would better understand the unfair reality of this situation. Unfortunately, Gov. Christie has been just like Corzine, refusing to use his and only his power to make things right when the true intentions of the law were misapplied. (Ironically) before John Ray Wilson completes his prison sentence, the State of NJ will have its medical marijuana program up and running, and Mr. Wilson may likely be using medical marijuana behind bars or the prescription pain killers he couldn't afford, paid for by the state's taxpayers. Governor Christie should commute his sentence immediately."
The law as enacted - and signed by former Gov. Jon Corzine in January - is already the toughest among the medical marijuana laws passed by 13 other states in recent years. Christie's heavy-handed modifications are most definitely a reflection of his aversion to it from the start. He already sought to delay the program's implementation for a year. This might sound like minutes to Washington bureaucrats, but for a patient wasting away from AIDS or suffering from chemo-inducing nausea, it could very well be a lifetime.
This might be the future - citizens work hard to change things democratically, in this case, marijuana reform, and politicians and institutions that don't like it, get their revenge in the rule-making process, which is not so democratic. Nor very liberty-loving.
Anybody got any suggestions how tomake our Governor pay a political price for his (universally) unpopular position? Let's brainstorm.
Below is an alphabetical list of NJ pols who voted YES on medical marijuana. If you know -- or are rep'd by -- anyone on this list, take note. Hopefully you'll get a chance to thank them one day.
From the Senate (Republicans in bold):
Senate:
Baroni,
Bateman,
Beach,
Buono,
Ciesla,
Cunningham,
Gill,
Girgenti,
Gordon,
Kean,
Lesniak,
Pennacchio,
Ruiz,
Sacco,
Sarlo,
Scutari,
Singer,
Smith,
Stack,
Sweeney,
Turner,
Van Drew,
Vitale,
Weinberg, and
Whelan
When the NJ Senate and Assembly overwhelmingly passed a medical marijuana bill yesterday it put the Garden State in line to be the 14th state in the union to decriminalize cannabis for sick people.
Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll has the QOTD in this one for sure.
I've posted so many videos on this site and elsewhere I can't hardly remember them all, but this issue is possibly the most satisfying day I've has as an activist since the Obama/Alder double victory.
So take a minute to meet the heros of this battle.
