DA JOINS WILLIAMS IN SUPPORT OF MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA

Television talk show host Montel Williams lets out a laugh
after a journalist asked Manhattan District Attorney Robert
Morgenthau if he had smoked marijuana, during a news conference
on Tuesday about state legislation supporting the medical use of
marijuana in New York. Williams, who was diagonosed with multiple
sclerosis in 1999, said that he uses marijuana to ease the symptoms
caused by his illness.

''It should be available to those whose suffering would be eased by
the use of marijuana,'' said Robert Morgenthau. ''There is absolutely
no reason for not using marijuana for medical purposes. It's another
weapon in the arsenal.''

Morgenthau said he supports a marijuana legalization bill in the state
Legislature. He said he came to support medicinal marijuana after
doing research and talking to his daughter, a physician who
specializes in treating drug abusers.

Williams, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999, choked back tears
as he said he uses marijuana on his doctor's recommendation to relieve
pain in his legs and feet caused by the neurological disease.

''There are days I don't feel like getting out of bed,'' he said.

Williams said he had tried other prescription painkillers but they did
not control his tremors and spasms and caused side effects.

The Emmy award-winning talk show host said marijuana does not
incapacitate him and he is almost immune to its euphoric effects.

Several states allow sick patients to smoke marijuana, including
Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont
and Washington.