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Marijuana activist Claude Messier died yesterday
By: Alan Hustak, Montreal Gazzette, 01/18/04

Activist fought for marijuana use - Messier's struggle with muscular dystrophy led Health Canada to grant him pot rights

Marijuana activist Claude Messier died yesterday in St. Charles Borromée Hospital, where he had been living for years as a patient with muscular dystrophy.

He was 37.

Despite his physical difficulties, Messier was an outspoken advocate of rights for the disabled.

He especially championed the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

"The movement has lost an important activist - he was always fighting. His indomitable spirit was an inspiration to us all," Alexandre Néron, a Club Compassion volunteer and long-time friend, said yesterday.

Two years ago, Health Canada gave Messier permission to smoke marijuana legally to relieve the pain from his condition.

In the last federal election, he was the Marijuana Party candidate in the Rosemont-Petite-Patrie riding. He got 1,470 votes.

Messier wrote three books, including his autobiography, Confessions d'un paquet d'os (Confessions of a Bag of Bones.)

Told he wouldn't live past age 6, then 12, then 24, Messier never felt sorry for himself. Two years ago, he took up sky diving.

"Treat the handicapped as equals, as whole people just like you, without condescension," Messier told The Gazette two years ago.

He urged patients suffering from long-term disabilities to "go beyond your dreams, and push your limits."

"We have to wake up and take our place in society," he said.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed.