Two California dispensaries are first to complete certification program with pending certifications in six states Paul Marini | February 20, 2014 San Francisco, CA -- Patient advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) certified the first two dispensaries in the country today for its new nationwide program that verifies the quality and reliability of products sold at licensed medical marijuana businesses.... Read more
Advocates vow to continue pressure on Obama Administration to establish comprehensive medical marijuana policy Paul Marini | February 14, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- Medical marijuana advocates are applauding a new memorandum issued today by the U.S. Departments of Treasury (DOT) and Justice (DOJ) giving long-awaited guidance to financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, to provide services to marijuana-related... Read more
Letter signed by eighteen federal legislators says marijuana's current status "makes no sense" Paul Marini | February 12, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- Eighteen Members of Congress joined together today in calling on President Obama to use his authority to reclassify marijuana from its current position as a dangerous drug, alongside heroin and LSD, with no medical value. A letter... Read more
Obama Administration and Congress can each reclassify marijuana for medical use Paul Marini | January 31, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- Medical Marijuana advocates are telling President Obama he has the power to reclassify marijuana after he said today it is up to Congress. In an exclusive CNN interview, President Barack Obama responded to a question about the... Read more
Severely ill Jerry Duval lacks medical care while serving 10-year prison sentence, also pursues compassionate release Paul Marini | January 22, 2014 Cincinnati, OH -- Michigan medical marijuana patient Jerry Duval and his son Jeremy, who are serving 10 and 5 years in prison, respectively, after being convicted in April 2012 without a defense in federal court, will argue their appeal Thursday... Read more
Representative Sherry Appleton Joins With Coalition of Patient Advocates to Defend Washington’s Medical Cannabis Law Paul Marini | January 13, 2014 Seattle, WA -- Patients, doctors and caregivers have formed a powerful coalition to keep medical cannabis from being eliminated in the face of Initiative 502 implementation -- and to prove they mean business, the group has introduced a bill on... Read more
Jose Gutierrez was brutally arrested in April 2012 during peaceful protests, then convicted of assault himself Paul Marini | January 09, 2014 Oakland, CA -- A medical marijuana activist and journalist who was brutally arrested in April 2012 during federal raids on multiple licensed businesses in Oakland will be sentenced Friday. Despite video evidence of the brutality leveled against Jose Gutierrez, he... Read more
Independent certification will benefit patients, healthcare providers, and regulators implementing medical marijuana laws Paul Marini | December 17, 2013 Washington, D.C. -- Patient advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) launched a new nationwide program today that will certify the quality and reliability of medical marijuana products sold at licensed businesses. Patient Focused Certification (PFC) is the only nonprofit,... Read more
Scientific data, standards put to rest the notion that medical marijuana is a dangerous drug with no medical value Paul Marini | December 12, 2013 Washington, D.C. -- Patient advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is hosting a Google Hangout today at 5:30pm PT (8:30pm ET) with a panel of leading medical and scientific experts to discuss by video the new cannabis monograph from... Read more
American Herbal Pharmacopoeia monograph lays scientific foundation for quality assurance and expanded research Paul Marini | December 11, 2013 Washington, DC -- In an historic move, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) released the first installation of a two-part Cannabis monograph yesterday that classifies cannabis (marijuana) as a botanical medicine, alongside many other widely accepted Complementary and Alternative Medicines. Written and... Read more