Plight Of Class Action Lawsuit
Plaintiff Joe Hart Gives More Proof
That the Suppression of Medical Marijuana Is Murder
(Marijuananews note: I saw Joe when he was in
Philadelphia for the Class Action hearings in March. He is a great guy who deserves much
better from his country.)
See
Class Action on
Equality and Freedom Goes To Trial In Philadelphia In Three Months.
A Special Report To Marijuananews
and
Florida Judge Says 15
Seconds Not Enough Time To Flush 2.8 Kilos of Marijuana Down the Drain
– And Dismisses Key West Medical Marijuana Case -- Marijuananews Special ReportJoe
Hart, An Uncompromising Warrior
April 5, 1999
From Kay Lee
Joe Hart has three purple hearts, and during surgery to remove shrapnel he absorbed
during battle, he was injected with a tainted blood transfusion. He now lives with AIDS.
As a medical patient and provider’s club, he has faced the wrath of the law more
than once for marihuana. The last case was thrown out in January ‘99 after two years
of courtrooms and lawyers. Despite the violent invasions of Cannabis Key West, which is
also Joe’s home, he continues to try to help patients get medical marihuana.
Joe has been hosting me in Key West for the last six months, so the club is my home
too. He’s won my admiration over and over as I’ve watched him battle the laws
and their enforcers. But this month was an eye-opener as I watched him battle AIDS for the
first time.
Everyone that knows Joe, knows he’s a warrior. He’s a loveable-grumpy kind of
person, a gentle bear. I call him my Walter Matheau. Normally Joe is on the go, wanting to
be everywhere anything is going on. Since we returned from the
Philadelphia Freedom hearing in March, he’s been sick; dreadfully, violently sick.
Shortly after we got back to Key West, he was admitted for exploratory surgery:
Joe’s missing parts include a gall bladder and appendix. He went without cannabis for
the week he was in hospital, except for the day I took a joint to him. We wandered the
grounds and I could see him visibly relax as he smoked it.
When he was released from the Key West hospital, he was without a personal stash for
nearly two weeks. Now, Joe has been battling AIDS for what, twelve years? He’s used
NO pharmaceutical drugs for over two years, instead choosing to use, as Joe puts it,
"copious amounts" of marijuana. Dr. McKnight has been amazed at Joe’s
robust health, and understands Joe’s claims that it keeps him from wasting.
So, because of prohibition, Joe went without marihuana for three weeks (We’ve had
two local busts in that time). He began loosing weigh so quick you could watch it happen
(40 pounds in that time). He couldn’t eat, everything he tried to put in came right
back out in one form or another. He began having night sweats, lots of pain, and developed
a dry, useless cough. He’s made three emergency trips to the hospital, and is
currently on the 12th Floor of the Miami VA. (Ward C-D Isolation).
If you’ve been around an AIDS patient during a crisis, you know how awful it is to
watch. If you haven’t, pray you never have to. I feel so helpless.
I also feel a lot of anger. I believe with all my heart that Joe is right:
Marihuana has kept him alive and the lack of it will kill him.
McCaffrey, the rest of those pompous asses in Washington, and their dirty corporate
politics have been trying to put Joe in jail for years. And if we don’t force a
change in the laws, they will kill my friend.
Of course, I’m angry, but that’s not enough: You all have got to get angry
too, because sooner or later, in one form or another, they will get you or someone you
care about. There’s a pattern here, and if you don’t see it, ‘you just
ain’t looking!’
In the words of Joe Hart, "Failure is NOT an option."
Kay Lee
http://www.zyworld.com/kay~lee/home.htm
909 Virginia Street #B
Key West, FL 33040
305-293-1865
The number at the VA to talk to Joe is: 305-324-4455
Joe’s webpage is located at http://www.gnv.fdt.net/~jrdawson/joehart.htm
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