Pubdate: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Section: Commentary, page 2 EDITORIAL UPDATE - PETER MCWILLIAMS The September 13 9th Circuit federal court ruling that patients can claim a medical-necessity defence in federal marijuana cases will be tested soon. Los Angeles publisher and AIDS patient Peter McWilliams has been barred by court order from using marijuana since his arrest on federal marijuana charges last fall. His AIDS viral count has risen from near zero to above 250,000 U.S. District Judge George King declined to reconsider his no-smoking order in light of the circuit court ruling, so it is being appealed to the 9th Circuit this week. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake