10/27/2009 by Chris Goldstein

In a major development in New Jersey today, two of the state Senators sponsoring The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act asked for  Governor Corzine to pardon John Ray Wilson.

 John faces 15 years in state prison for being caught with 17 marijuana plants that he grew to treat MS.

Look for more info this week on this unprecedented action on behalf of medical marijuana rights in New Jersey at www.cmmnj.org

 Here's the first part of the official press release issued 4PM today. READ IN FULL HERE

SCUTARI AND LESNIAK ASK FOR PARDON OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER

Lawmakers Say Imprisonment of Somerset County Man Suffering with MS is Inhumane, Illegal and Inconsistent with Direction of State’s Drug Policies

TRENTON – Calling the prosecution of a self-medicating Somerset County man with multiple sclerosis (MS) a “severe, inappropriate, discompassionate and inhumane application of the letter of the law,” Senators Nicholas P. Scutari and Raymond J. Lesniak today urged Governor Jon Corzine to pardon Franklin Township resident John Ray Wilson, and called on the Assembly to quickly move legislation to decriminalize the medicinal use of marijuana by New Jerseyans with chronic and terminal illnesses.

“It seems cruel and unusual to treat New Jersey’s sick and dying as if they were drug cartel kingpins. Moreover, it is a complete waste of taxpayer money having to house and treat an MS patient in a jail at the public’s expense,” said Senator Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset. “Specifically, in the case of John Ray Wilson, the State is taking a fiscally irresponsible hard-line approach against a man who’s simply seeking what little relief could be found from the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis. Governor Corzine should step in immediately and end this perversion of criminal drug statutes in the Garden State.”

“Without compassion and a sense of moral right and wrong, laws are worth less than the paper they’re printed on,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “New Jersey’s tough criminal drug laws were never intended to be used against patients suffering from chronic and terminal medical conditions. The prosecutors and presiding judge have set up a scenario where Mr. Wilson is no different than a common street thug in the eyes of the law.”