William Fine Dies: A Force Against New York Narcotics, Fine Suffered From Multiple Atrophy Syndrome
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William M. Fine, whose dynamic effort created rigorous New York narcotics laws in New York, died from complications with multiple atrophy syndrome on Friday, May 17. He was 86, Fine's daughter-in-law Delia told The New York Times.
The former publisher for Hearst Corporations in the 1960s oversaw some of today's widely recognized magazines, including Cosmopolitan and Harper's Bazaar.
He was most notably known for his investigative research for Gov. Nelson A Rockefeller, whose son battled drug addiction. Rockefeller asked Fine to travel to Japan and report on the country's movement against drug addiction.
Rockefeller then likened Japan's no-nonsense approach to what is known as the Rockefeller drug laws that were signed into law on May 8, 1973. It imposed 15-year minimum prison time for those found selling two ounces of heroin, cocaine or marijuana, or retaining four ounces of these drugs.
Fine was also instrumental in establishing peace talks in Northern Ireland as the advisor to the State under Regan and senior Bush administrations.
He began his publishing career after purchasing two newspapers and started as a publisher at McCall Corporation before arriving at Hearst.
He was born in Manhattan in 1926 to Joseph George Fine and Suzanne Moss. His father was president of Fox Film Corporation, which merged with 20th Century Pictures.
Fine was divorced three times and is survived by Kay Pick, his partner, four sons, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare neurological disorder that debilitates the body's blood pressure, heart rate, bladder, and digestive controls. The condition is known for developing during adulthood in the 50s or 60s and affects largely men. According to the Mayo Clinic, medications and changes to lifestyle help control the symptoms, but as the disorder progresses, it slowly leads to death.