Medical cannabis news, events, and more from all over the state

The California Campaign for Safe Access (CCSA) is Americans for Safe Access’ oldest and largest state campaign. This California Weekly Roundup is your way to stay on top of medical cannabis news, events, action alerts, court support, and more.

Last week…

  • ASA talked with lawmakers and staff in cities and counties statewide about medical cannabis licensing and regulation
  • ASA met with state lawmakers and staff about medical cannabis legislation
  • ASA answered dozens of calls and emails from constituents in California

This week…

  • Get registered for the National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference – March 18-22 in Washington, DC

Get all the news, events, action alerts, & more...

NEWS

NEWS      

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National

10 States That Are Getting Medical Marijuana Right

What A Trump Presidency Would Mean for Marijuana Law Reform: Worry

California

Why Are Sick People Paying Tax Penalties for Medical Marijuana?

Local

Top 10 medical marijuana strains of February 2016 (San Francisco)

S.F.'s New Cannabis Don (San Francisco)

State laws prompt local marijuana backlash (San Diego County)

Ten Minutes to a Not Guilty Verdict in San Diego Medical Marijuana Concentrate Case – Or, How to Ruin Bonnie Dumanis’s Weekend (San Diego)

Local cannabis growers begin applying for county permits (Humboldt County)

Humboldt Co. moves forward with track and trace pilot program (Humboldt County)

Sundberg: Pot Tax Will be on November Ballot (Humboldt County)

World-famous Humboldt pot growers apply for first-ever county permits (Humboldt County)

Shatterday Takes Place in Paso Robles (Paso Robles)

Appeals court: Upland, cannabis attorneys argue over when voters can weigh in on medical pot ban (Upland)

San Jose city council to consider medical marijuana initiative for special June election (San Jose)

Workers at Orange County's first licensed medical marijuana dispensary have decided to unionize (Santa Ana)

Medical Cannabis Ballot Initiative Pulled, Groups Back Unified Measure (Long Beach)

Hugs and tears of joy for Pure Life crew (El Dorado County)

Merced a step closer to allowing medical cannabis (Merced)

Oceanside City Council Sets Rules For Marijuana Deliveries From Out of Town (Oceanside)


Meetings

PUBLIC MEETINGS & EVENTS 

March 18-22, 2016 – National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference (Washington, DC)

All day at the Loews Madison Hotel, 1177 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005, and the US Capitol Building. Register for the conference today. The theme this year’s conference is “Harmonizing Medical Cannabis Policy and Reality.” Our goal is to connect advocates, industry workers and leaders, researchers, doctors and others to effect real change for medical cannabis. Get signed up today so that you can be a part of it all. Click here to book your hotel room or call 1-855-325-6397. Use Reservation ID NUC316 to make your reservations. Be sure to mention the ASA Unity Conference to get the best rate. Visit http://www.nationalmedicalcannabisunityconference.org/ for all the details.

April 1, 2016 - Taking the High Road: Comic Confessions from Behind the Cannabis Curtain (Santa Rosa)

Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 PM at Finley Community Center, 2060 West College Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401. This is a one-woman show written and performed by Sherry Glaser.  The show is a multi character, dramatic comedy based on her intrepid adventures in the world of Cannabis that led her to both write and perform in this timely topic.  This is a benefit for Sonoma Americans for Safe Access. Tickets are $25. Email [email protected] or call 707-684-0177 for more information.

Take Action

TAKE ACTION NOW 

Sign the Petition to Ask Your Representative and Senators to Sign on to the CARERS Act! (National)

The CARERS Act is the most comprehensive piece of federal medical marijuana legislation that has ever been introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. The bipartisan legislation would remedy the state-federal conflict over medical marijuana laws.

The bill would allow state programs to continue without federal inference, move marijuana out of Schedule I, remove CBD from the scheduling, create access to banking services for legal marijuana businesses, end the Public Health service review process and NIDA monopoly that blocks research, and allow VA doctors to write recommendations in states that have a medical marijuana program.

Sign the Petition below to urge your senators and representative to protect safe access and patients right by signing onto the CARERS Act.

Oppose SB 987 in California: No more taxes on medical cannabis (California)

California Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) has introduced SB 987, a bill that will assess an additional 15% excise tax on medical cannabis in the state.  The new tax will be in addition to the ordinary state sales tax and any local tax patients already pay for their doctor-recommend medicine. SB 987 imposes an unnecessary and unfair burden on medical cannabis patients.

SB 987 is harmful for patients. Medical cannabis is already subject to ordinary sales and use tax of between 7.5 and 10%, depending on the jurisdiction. Additionally, some cities and counties already impose an additional local tax of up to 15% on medical cannabis.

Adding an additional 15% to the cost of medical cannabis, which is not covered by insurance, will be an economic hardship for legal patients – especially those who are already economically vulnerable.

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COURT SUPPORT 

What is Court Support and how do I get involved? 

March 7, 2016 – Court Support for Trevor Alcorn (Redding)

2:00 PM at 1655 West St, Redding, CA 96001. Settlement conference. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendant. 


Find more information and additional listings on The Human Solution Calendar: http://www.thsintl.org/calendar

ASA WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 

4th Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference

Register now for our 4th Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference in Washington, DC.  Unity 2016 is your place to gather with other patients, providers, activists, medical and legal professionals from around the country; to learn best practices, exchange ideas and learn how to navigate medical marijuana in this new political landscape.

Between the uncertainty of policies of a new US President and the United Nations meetings on Drug Policy, 2016 will go down in history as one of the most significant years for medical cannabis policy ever. We have an incredible opportunity to change laws and set policy in motion that will result in safe access globally. Our goal is to connect advocates, industry workers and leaders, researchers, doctors and others to effect real change for medical cannabis. Get signed up today so that you can be a part of it all at the Lowes Madison Hotel in Washington, DC, March 18-22, 2016.

As a participant, you will meet, network with, and learn from other patients, providers, activists, medical and legal professionals from around the country.  You will also work with this incredible community to change domestic and international policy.

ASA CHAPTER & AFFLIATE MEETINGS 

March 10, 2016 - San Francisco Brownie Mary Democratic Club (San Francisco)

6:00 PM at 847 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103. 

See all California ASA Chapter Meetings here:
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/california_advocacy


Have something to share?

The “California Weekly Roundup” is a once-a-week email for ASA Members and Friends that focuses on relevant news and important updates, action alerts, meetings and special events. Send items for the California Weekly Roundup to [email protected] before 12:00 PM on Friday to be included in Monday's distribution.