Medical Marijuana Defendant to Go on Hunger Strike in Seattle

Portions of a letter to The Honorable Judge David Frasier and Prosecuting Attorney Bill Druffel in Seattle, Washington, regarding Tyler Markwart, who began a hunger strike December 4, 2011 to highlight the ineffectiveness of the War on Drugs.

Tyler is doing this while facing prosecution for his use of medicinal cannabis, which is the only medicine that has helped him for the last 17 years.

Tyler followed a court order insisting he stop using medical cannabis which led to a medically documented debilitating weight loss accompanied by other debilitating symptoms including intestinal spasms, intestinal bleeding, nausea, diarrhea, dehydration, jaundice, anxiety attacks, depression and an overall decreased quality of life.

To read the letter in full, please visit his Facebook page.

“Washington State RCW and the findings of Your Honors dismissal of the Defendants Motion to Dismiss, have continued to state that there is no medical benefit to Cannabis, while the Defendant has clearly presented the court with factual information stating that there is medicinal value from Cannabis. 

In the Defendants opinion Your Honor has already acknowledge the medicinal value of Cannabis by reinstating the Defendants medical access to Cannabis, the Defendant is now entering this letter to notify the court that a hunger strike is also in effect along with the Defendants intent to stop consumption of his medical Cannabis which is against the medical recommendation of his physician. 

The Defendant Tyler J Markwart has initiated a hunger strike as of Sunday December 4th, 2011 to highlight the ineffectiveness of the War on Drugs at controlling drug consumption, distribution, manufacturing, and abuse within our communities. 

The Defendant asks Prosecutor Druffel to drop the pending charges against the Defendant Tyler J Markwart as the defendant poses no threat to the community or any individual’s personal welfare or property.  

Pursuing a conviction of the Defendant will not enhance the security of the community nor will it provide justice to a victim in this victimless crime that has occurred, but it will only worsen the quality of life that the Defendant is already trying to manage. 

There is a time to set aside politics and protocol when the welfare of a human being is in danger.  This is one of those times.”

Sincerely,

Tyler J Markwart

12.3.2011