Press Releases

Washington, DC -- Medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) will be featured today in a RAND Drug Policy Research Center conference and webcast discussion on developing public health regulations for marijuana, given the recent passage of "adult use" laws in Colorado and Washington States.

According to RAND, the half-day conference will focus on "raising awareness of the multitude of regulatory issues facing agencies trying to design a comprehensive policy," as well as addressing some of the mechanics behind policies to license, sell and use marijuana. One of the presenters, Jill Lamoureux, director of ASA's Patients First Program, will speak about the group's experience with state medical marijuana laws and the mandatory D.C. Department of Health training, which ASA provides for licensed producers and distributors.

What: RAND conference on public health regulations for marijuana, featuring ASA Patients First Program Director Jill Lamoureux
When: Monday, February 11th, 12:30-5:30pm EST
Where: RAND's Washington DC Office, 1200 South Hayes St., Arlington VA with "Virtual" seats available for those outside DC metro area

"Medical marijuana has effectively gone mainstream if groups like RAND are pulling from existing laws in order to help develop sensible public health policies for marijuana more generally," said Jill Lamoureux. "Although medical use and adult use of marijuana necessitate different public health approaches, many of the lessons learned from medical marijuana policy can be similarly applied to statewide 'adult use' regulations." The RAND Drug Policy Research Center conference is expected to draw the participation of scientists, policymakers and advocates and will also consider regulatory "best practices" from the application of state laws governing alcohol and tobacco.

Earlier this year, ASA was commissioned by the D.C. Department of Health to implement a compulsory training for cultivators and distributors licensed by the District. ASA Foundation was selected to be the Medical Marijuana Certification Provider based on its longstanding experience giving such trainings across the country. The 4-hour long course, a requirement under the District's Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Amendment Act of 2010, cover the basics of medical marijuana, including an overview of its clinical applications, safety and operational protocols, as well as participants’ rights and responsibilities under local and federal laws.

The RAND conference comes less than two weeks before ASA is scheduled to host its National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference, "Bridging the Gap Between Public & Policy," to be held in Washington, D.C. on February 22-25, 2013. Lamoureux will present similar public health policy issues to ASA conference participants and medical marijuana stakeholders, among a wide array of workshops and panels focusing on scientific research, strategic planning, and skills building.

Further information:
Details on today's RAND Drug Policy Research Center conference: http://www.rand.org/events/2013/02/11.html
ASA's National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/blog/conference2013
ASA's Patients First Program: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/PatientsFirstProgram