Pubdate: Sun, 24Oct 1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Section: Commentary,page 2 EDITORIAL UPDATE California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has taken an important step forward in California's long-running struggle to have the federal government respect the medical marijuana law voters passed in 1996. Following the 9th Circuit appeals court decision Sept. 13 ordering the District Court to consider the possibility that there could be "a class of people with serious medical conditions for whom the use of cannabis is necessary," Mr. Lockyer wrote a letter Oct. 6 to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno urging that the U.S. Justice Department not file a petition for rehearing so the District Court can proceed and consider the question. The issue is key to writer Peter McWilliams, an AIDS and cancer patient facing federal charges for conspiracy to grow and distribute marijuana. (See www.petertrial.com) A condition of his bail was that he not smoke marijuana. He has complied, but his viral count has increased to life-threatening levels. Relying on the 9th Circuit's September decision, he filed an appeal Oct. 14 to allow him to smoke medical marijuana before his trial, which begins Nov. 16. The government must file a response tomorrow and a decision could occur within a week. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea