PETER McWILLIAMS- 50

Medical Marijuana Advocate

LOS ANGELES - Bestselling self-help book author and medical marijuana
advocate Peter McWilliams died at his Los Angeles home as he was
awaiting sentencing on federal charges of growing the drug for sale,
friends said yesterday. He was 50.

Mr. McWilliams, author of "How to Survive the Loss of Love" and the
"Life 101" series of self-help books, was found dead in his bathroom
on Wednesday, the friends said. No cause of death was listed but he
had both AIDS and cancer. He was scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 15
and faced five years in federal prison.

Mr. McWilliams, who admitted cultivating marijuana for sale in a 1999
plea agreement with federal prosecutors, gave a nationally televised
speech at the 1998 Libertarian National Convention.

"Peter McWilliams was a true hero who fought and ultimately gave his
life for what he believed in: The right to heal oneself without
government interference," said California Libertarian Party chairman
Mark Hinkle said.

Mr. McWilliams and his codefendant, Todd McCormick, 29, pleaded guilty
after a judge ruled that they could not use medical necessity as a
defense. Prosecutors said the men were growing it for profit and said
Mr. McWilliams once said he hoped to become the Bill Gates of
marijuana growing.