MCWILLIAMS' STORY

Editor:

New York Times best-selling author and publisher Peter McWilliams was
literally killed by the federal government in the name of the war on
marijuana. Peter's books sold more than 2 million copies, including:
"Getting over the loss of a loved one;" How to heal depression," Life 101
and other best sellers. Peter had cancer and AIDS.

In 1997, he financed professional gardener and cancer patient Todd
McCormick to write a book on various strains of medical marijuana plants
for diverse illnesses. McCormick was arrested in 1997.

The only medicine which prevented Peter from vomiting from his cancer and
AIDS medication was marijuana. In federal court, both he and McCormick were
forbidden to mention their dire medical conditions. They were literally
defenseless.

McCormick pleaded guilty to marijuana cultivation and was sentenced to five
years in federal prison. McWilliams was due to be sentenced in August. He
was not allowed to use his marijuana or even the legal synthetic pot
capsule, Marinol.

A few days ago his home caught fire. Peter choked to death due to the lack
of pot that kept him from throwing up.

May God forgive the federal government for refusing to recognize that
marijuana for some patients is the only medicine that works.

David R. Ford, Sonoma