Blog

NEWS 

Follow @ASAdonduncan on Twitter for medical cannabis news and more.

National

• Victory - Rohrabacher-Farr Held to Apply in Federal Court
• DEA Must Stop Interfering With Legal Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Federal Court Rules
• Federal ruling protects pot dispensaries that follow state law
• Medical marijuana can help beat opioid epidemic
• The government is stifling medical marijuana research, major think tank declares

California

• California marijuana market readies for ‘robust’ new era
• Draft linked to Sean Parker initiative calls for 15 percent pot tax
• Medical Marijuana – Illinois and California Different Stories

• Supervisors: Marin needs 4 medical marijuana outlets (Marin County)
• County eyes marijuana shop laws — again (Kern County)
• Oakland plans to capitalize on the state’s new regulations, and is proposing to double the number of pot shops, and to license farms, couriers, hash labs, and more. But some existing clubs don’t want the competition (Oakland)
• Exclusive: Oakland’s Big New Pot Plan (Oakland)
• Gunshot Wounds Man During Altercation In Medical Marijuana Dispensary (Los Angeles)
• Pot shops on hold until city studies impact (Laguna Woods)
• Marina divided on proposed medical-marijuana store (San Francisco)
• Pleasant Hill rejects total ban on backyard pot (Pleasant Hill)

PUBLIC MEETINGS & EVENTS 

November 5, 2015 – CannTalk: Cannabis Science, Research, and Business (Santa Cruz)
6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Cannabis science and business experts give three informative lectures – Sustainable Cannabis Farming, Science and Analytics, and Understanding Cannabis. Hosted by Ben Rice, Esq. and sponsored by SC Labs – http://www.sclabs.com

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March 18-22, 2016 – National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference (Washington, DC)
ASA is excited to announce that early-bird registration for the National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference and Citizen Lobby Day 2016 is now open! The theme this year is “Our Medicine, Our Safety, Our Rights.” 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. Here is the link to book your hotel: https://www.loewshotels.com/madison/Americans-for-Safe-Access?corpcode=NUC316 or call 1-855-325-6397 and use Reservation ID NUC316 to make your reservations. Be sure to mention the ASA Unity Conference to get the best rate. Make your reservation ASAP!

COURT SUPPORT 

What is Court Support and how do I get involved? 

October 27, 2015 - Fresno County Ban Appeal Hearings (Fresno)
9:00 AM in the 5th District Court of Appeal, 2424 Ventura St, Fresno, CA 93721. Oral arguments in two appeals related to cultivation bans: Kirby v. County of Fresno et al. (F070056) and Byrd et al. v. County of Fresno et al. (F070597). Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the appellants.

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October 28, 2015 – Court Support for Robert Orlosky (San Diego)
9:00 AM at San Diego Superior Court, 220 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102. Visit https://www.facebook.com/SanDiegoASA for more information. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendant.

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

ASA CHAPTER & AFFLIATE MEETINGS 

October 27, 2015 - San Diego ASA (San Diego)
6:30 – 7:30 networking, 7:30 meeting starts at Giovanni's Restaurant at 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92123. Visit http://www. SafeAccessSD.com or https://www.facebook.com/SanDiegoASA  for more for more information.

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

ASA WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 

Patient Focused Certification
http://patientfocusedcertification.org/

Patient Focused Certification, PFC is an innovative new program that is calibrating the medical cannabis industry for excellence.  Comprehensive and flexible, PFC is what patients, healthcare providers, companies, and regulators can depend on to identify reliable, high-quality medical cannabis products and services.

PFC addresses product and distribution safety in the medical cannabis industry. The program provides components for operators, legislators and regulators to promote the adoption of safe and reasonable industry standards and regulations from seed to consumption.

Our third-party certification program for the medical cannabis industry is based on quality standards for medical cannabis products and businesses issued by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) Cannabis monograph.  PFC Certification and professional training is available in all medical cannabis states including the District of Columbia. 

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California Campaign for Safe Access
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/california_campaign_for_safe_access

The California Campaign for Safe Access is ASA's oldest state campaign. There are more legal patients, providers, and recommending physicians in California than any other state. More than 1.4 million patients have safe, reliable, and dignified access to medicine in the state, but significant challenges remain. This page has newly updated links to the information you need to get in involved at the local and state level.

ACTION ALERTS 

Save Medical Marijuana in Fresno County (California)
https://www.gofundme.com/8r65zuks?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button&utm_campaign=invite_rs_n

My name is Diana Kirby, I am 73 years old and disabled. I was in an accident in 1972 at age of 30. At the time I had 3 small children. I was in a hospital bed for 3 years and during that time I had 14 surgeries, mostly on my leg. My story takes a life time to tell but the bottom line is that I became allergic to all pain medication and antibiotics. My doctor told me to try Marijuana for the pain, IT WORKS and I have been using it ever since. I have fought for the right to use it for over 35 years.

I am fighting for MEDICAL MARIJUANA in Fresno County. I filed a law suit against the County of Fresno almost two years ago and now my case is going to the appellate court. I need everybody in the County of Fresno and everyone that believes in access to medicine to PLEASE HELP THE CAUSE....THIS IS NOT JUST FOR ME IT IS FOR ALL THE PATIENTS OF FRESNO COUNTY WHO NEED MEDICAL MARIJUANA

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Pardon the Kettle Falls Five (National)
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov//petition/pardon-kettle-falls-five-0

On Oct. 2, 2015, three defendants in the Kettle Falls Five case were sentenced to federal prison terms and fines for cultivating as patients under WA’s medical cannabis program. Despite a Congressional restriction on cannabis prosecutions, the DOJ has committed hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to prosecuting and jailing these patients.

We ask for immediate orders of commutation and remission of jail time and fines for Rolland Gregg, his wife Michelle Gregg, and his mother Rhonda Firestack-Harvey. We seek complete pardons of their convictions so that they are no longer considered felons. Allow them to return to being the productive members of society they were, before this ordeal began.

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.