- About About
-
Medical
Medical
Medical Patient Resources Becoming a State-Authorized Patient Talking to your doctor The Medical Cannabis Patient’s Guide for U.S. Travel Patient's Guide to CBD Patient's Guide to Medical Cannabis Guide to Using Medical Cannabis Condition-based Booklets Growing Cannabis Cannabis Tincture, Salve, Butter and Oil Recipes Leaf411 Affordability Program Tracking Treatment & Gathering Data with Releaf App Medical Professional Resources CME for Medical Professionals Cannabis Safety Medical Cannabis Research
- Legal Legal
-
Advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy ASA Chapters Start an ASA Chapter Take Action Campaigns No Patient Left Behind End Pain, Not Lives Vote Medical Marijuana Medical Cannabis Advocate's Training Center Resources for Tabling and Lobby Days Strategic Planning Civics 101 Strategic Messaging Citizen Lobbying Participating in Implementation Movement Building Organizing a Demonstration Organizing Turnout for Civic Meetings Public Speaking Media 101 Patient's History of Medical Cannabis
-
Policy
Policy
Policy Model Federal Legislation Download Ending The Federal Conflict Public Comments by ASA Industry Standards Guide to Regulating Industry Standards Recognizing Science using the Data Quality Act Fact Sheet on ASA's Data Quality Act Petition to HHS Data Quality Act Briefs ASA Data Quality Act petition to HHS Information on Lawyers and Named Patients in the Data Quality Act Lawsuit Reports 2020 State of the States Medical Cannabis Access for Pain Treatment Medical Cannabis in America
- Join Join
-
-
Peace for Patients: What's the Cost?
The federal war on medical cannabis has been a costly one, claiming both financial resources and the freedom of countless advocates. In ASA's newest report "What is the Cost", our research found that over the last decade nearly $500 million had been spent by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on raids, federal prosecutions, incarceration, and asset forfeiture suits. Even more surprising, $300 million of this was spent during Obama's short time in office where the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) spent up to 4% of their budget annually on medical cannabis enforcement in states that had already made it legal.
Check out our report "What is the Cost: The Federal War on Patients"
There are currently over 1 million legal medical cannabis users in 20 states plus the District of Columbia, and over 39% of the country's population lives in a state where it is legal. Additionally, recent polls have shown that 85% of Americans nationwide support the legalization of medical cannabis. In light of these figures, it seems ridiculous that the federal government would continue wasting taxpayer's money to fight a war on medical cannabis that no one supports.
Without Congressional intervention, however, the amount of funds spent on undermining state laws will only increase. This summer, the Senate will be reveiwing and approving the DOJ's budget for the coming year giving us a chance to end the federal war on medical cannabis. As the Senate Appropriations Committee reviews the DOJ's budget for next year, encourage them to support the cutting of all spending on medical cannabis enforcement, effectively putting an end to the federal war on medical cannabis!
This email will demand that your Senators support the CJS budget amendment to cut spending on medical cannabis enforcement as well as request a constituent meeting with their local offices so you can explain your position in person (with the help of our report).
Share