FAMILIES BACK MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - Sean McGrath was what his father Don called a "health
freak," a member of the "straight-edge" community, embracing a wholesome
life that never included drug abuse or smoking. He was a vegetarian who
regularly exercised, an animal rights enthusiast who never wore leather.

But cancer doesn't discriminate, so when McGrath's doctors suggested he use
marijuana to alleviate the pain and other symptoms of intestinal cancer, he
had little choice, his father said.

In the hours before his death just three months ago, McGrath's family
helped him use marijuana for the last time to ease his incessant pain. It
was out of compassion, out of unquestionable love that they offered to
soothe him as he lay dying.

But legally, they were all in the wrong. "Technically, Sean and everyone
else in the room could have been arrested," said Don McGrath.

Civil liberties advocates, a state lawmaker and members of the Coalition
for Medical Marijuana New Jersey met at McGrath's home yesterday to kick
off a fight against what they consider an outrageous injustice.

They spoke in support of a bill that would make New Jersey the 10th state
to decriminalize medical marijuana. Titled the New Jersey Compassionate Use
Medical Marijuana Act, it is co-sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora,
D-Princeton Borough, and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, R-Morris
Township, and will be introduced in the fall.

"This is something that speaks of compassion and the right thing to do,"
Gusciora said. The bill provides for a registry of patients afflicted by
medical conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and HIV and
their caregivers who would be protected from arrest for using marijuana
therapeutically.

Federal law prohibits marijuana use, but the act cites an FBI statistic
that "99 out of every 100 marijuana arrests in the U.S. are made under
state law, rather than under federal law."

It continues: "Changing the state law will have the practical effect of
protecting from arrest the vast majority of seriously ill people who have a
medical need to use marijuana."

For years, Jim Miller, co-founder of CMM-NJ, stood alongside the wheelchair
of his wife, Cheryl, who died last year. Cheryl used marijuana to ease the
reactions caused by her multiple sclerosis, which causes muscle stiffness
and prevented her from receiving rehabilitative treatment.

Despite her debilitating condition, the two fought for legalization of
medical marijuana. A documentary of their efforts played at the forum. At
one time Jim pushed Cheryl's wheelchair 58 miles across the state in
support of legalization. "No patient should have to apologize for their
pain," he said.

When Sean McGrath decided to obtain marijuana, he was still uncomfortable
with its illegality and would have gladly used another lawful, effective
option if it had existed, his father said.

Former bassist for punk bands Saves The Day, Hands Tied, Mouthpiece and The
Alps, chemotherapy cost McGrath the ability to play guitar. But it was the
loss of appetite, constant vomiting and nausea that reduced the 5-foot-11
McGrath, 28, to a mere 97 pounds. Other legal pain medications, including
Marinol - a prescription drug that to an extent replicates the effects of
marijuana - did little to ease McGrath's symptoms, in part because nausea
prevented him from keeping pills down.

Ken Wolski, registered nurse for the state Department of Corrections and
co-founder of CMM-NJ, said marijuana can stimulate appetite and ease
problems with pain and muscle spasticity for disease sufferers.

Edward Barokas, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New
Jersey, called existing law regarding medical marijuana use a
quintessential example of a violation of the right to privacy.

The "war on drugs" has also greatly affected how politicians and lawmakers
view marijuana as a medical aid, he said. "It is a war on certain drugs,"
Barokas said. That warring mindset "has taken a real hold on our society
and we have to take ourselves out of that hole," he said.

Gusciora urged people to contact their legislators in support of the act.
"We have a chance to give Sean an everlasting legacy," Miller said. "Let's
help make this happen. It needs to happen and it needs to happen soon. We
owe it to all the Seans and Cheryls."

Information on the topic can be found at cmmnj.org.