New York district attorney pushes for medical marijuana law

The Manhattan District Attorney joined television talk show host Montel Williams on Tuesday to support the legalization of marijuana for medical use. "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 New York 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. Several states allow sick patients to smoke marijuana, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. (AP)