Blog

Contents:

Message from the CA Director - Big news in California, too

California & National News

• Marijuana Wins U.S. House Vote for First Time (National)
• DEA, DOJ Greet House Medical Marijuana Vote With Silence (National)
• AG Holder Has Failed to Stop DOJ Interference when it comes to Medical Marijuana; Now, It's Up to Congress (National)
• Restrictive Medical Marijuana Laws: A Smokescreen Or Step Forward? (National/California)
• Legislature splits on medical marijuana bills (California)
• Bills on crack cocaine, medicinal pot advance in California (California)
• Senate passes bill allowing patients to recover seized medical marijuana (California)
• Desert Hot Springs council supports medical marijuana (Desert Hot Springs)
• ACLU files suit over Fresno's marijuana growing ban (Fresno)
• Cannabis to be given out to voters in San Jose on California primary day (San Jose)
• California man cited for pot possession after I-5 rollover crash (Eugene, OR)

Events

• Monday, August 4, 2014 – CA Citizen Lobby Day (Sacramento)

Court Support

• Thursday, June 5, 2014 – Court Support for James, Logan, and Jacob Hearing (Redding)

Take Action

• Join Americans for Safe Access (ASA)

ASA Website Spotlight

• News

ASA Chapter & Affiliate Meetings

• Tuesday, June 3, 2014 - San Francisco ASA (San Francisco)
• Wednesday, June 6, 2014 - Yuba County ASA (Valley)
• Thursday, June 7, 2014 - Sonoma ASA (Santa Rosa)

Message from the CA Director

I hope you have all heard the big news from Washington, DC, last week. The US House of Representatives voted to end funding for federal medical cannabis enforcement in states where it is legal. This is a major victory for medical cannabis patients and providers! Read more about the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment and what comes next in a blog by ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer and in the “News” Section of the website.

You may not have seen another big story from right here in California. On Thursday, the California Assembly rejected a bill by Assembly Member Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) that would have empowered the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to write and enforce regulations for commercial medical cannabis activity statewide. AB 1894 lost by a vote of 26 to 31, with 22 lawmakers not voting. The bill needed 41 votes to pass the Assembly and advance to the Senate.

Read the whole blog, including discussion of what comes next, here.
 

California & National News

Marijuana Wins U.S. House Vote for First Time (National)
Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report

The House of Representatives voted early Friday morning to ban the Department of Justice from spending money to combat medical marijuana in states that allow it. The fate of the proposal, offered as a spending bill amendment by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and 11 colleagues, was uncertain ahead of the vote, with many backers cautiously pessimistic about its chances. The amendment won surprisingly strong approval in a 219-189 vote that blurred party lines.
Read more here.

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DEA, DOJ Greet House Medical Marijuana Vote With Silence (National)
Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report

The Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration aren't saying much about the House of Representatives' Friday morning vote to ban federal law enforcement from undermining state medical marijuana laws. The House voted 219-189 to attach the prohibition to a spending bill.  It must survive the Senate and be signed into law by President Barack Obama to take effect. “We’re referring all of these inquires to the Department of Justice,” DEA spokesman Joe Moses tells U.S. News.
Read more here.

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AG Holder Has Failed to Stop DOJ Interference when it comes to Medical Marijuana; Now, It's Up to Congress (National)
ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer, Huffington Post

Congress will vote on a budget amendment tomorrow that will prohibit the Department of Justice (DOJ) from spending any funds on arrests, raids, and prosecutions of state authorized medical cannabis patients and their providers. The “Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment” to the Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) appropriations bill is being introduced by 10 House members, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.
Read more here.

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Restrictive Medical Marijuana Laws: A Smokescreen Or Step Forward? (National/California)
Katie Rucke, Mint Press

What qualifies a state for recognition as one that has legalized medical marijuana? It’s a question that has surfaced in recent months, as some states have passed restrictive medical marijuana bills that specifically outline how patients can consume their medicine, as well as which forms of medical marijuana will be available to patients in that state and which ones will not.
Read more here.

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Legislature splits on medical marijuana bills (California)
FenitNirappil, Washington Times

The state Assembly on Thursday rejected a medical marijuana regulation bill, a day after competing legislation preferred by local governments and law enforcement sailed unanimously through the Senate. The bill, AB1894, failed on a 26-31 vote following years of unsuccessful attempts to rein in the free-wheeling industry.
Read more here.

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Bills on crack cocaine, medicinal pot advance in California (California)
Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times

State lawmakers Wednesday gave initial approval to proposals that would reduce penalties for selling crack cocaine, require medical marijuana dispensaries to get state licenses and allow people in the country illegally to get student loans for college. Other bills fell short, including a measure that would have penalized high CEO salaries with higher corporate taxes and one to require a moratorium on fracking by oil companies in California.
Read more here.

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Senate passes bill allowing patients to recover seized medical marijuana (California)
David Smith, Siskyou Daily

A  bill recently passed by the California Senate will allow medical marijuana patients the opportunity to get their marijuana back if they are acquitted of charges that law enforcement officers cite as a reason to confiscate it.  Senate Bill 1193, introduced by Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), drops the holding requirements for confiscated marijuana from 10 pounds down to two in order to reduce the amount of space law enforcement agencies must reserve for trial evidence.
Read more here.

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Desert Hot Springs council supports medical marijuana (Desert Hot Springs)
Rexa Gostar, Desert Sun

Medical marijuana collectives are on track to be legalized in Desert Hot Springs after the City Council voiced unanimous support Tuesday and directed staff to draft an ordinance by June 5 to regulate dispensaries. While some city council members disagreed on the regulatory details, all agreed that marijuana could be an opportunity to bring in much-needed revenue to the cash-strapped city.
Read more here.

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ACLU files suit over Fresno's marijuana growing ban (Fresno)
Marc Benjammin, Fresno Bee

Marijuana cultivation bans supported by the city of Fresno and Fresno County are counter to state law, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Fresno County Superior Court by the American Civil Liberties Union. The suit, filed on behalf of two Fresno women -- Joan Byrd and Susan Juvet -- said the city and county bans are pre-empted by state law that allows severely ill Californians to grow and use marijuana.
Read more here.

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Cannabis to be given out to voters in San Jose on California primary day (San Jose)
Laura Rena Murray, The Independent

California voters can expect to receive free weed from some pot clubs in the Bay Area city of San Jose for casting ballots in state primary elections next Tuesday that include local races and battles for governor and secretary of state. The city's cannabis collectives, which have also offered up a voter guide to the races, are offering free marijuana and discounts when members show a ballot stub or an “I Voted” sticker on 3 June.
Read more here.

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California man cited for pot possession after I-5 rollover crash (Eugene, OR)
The Register-Guard

A California man was cited for unlawful possession of marijuana early Friday morning after three pounds were found at the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 south of Eugene, according to Oregon State Police. Anthony Pitts, 51, of Fort Jones, Calif., was a passenger in a Jeep Cherokee driven by Dominic Alexander Winders, 18, also of Fort Jones, police said.
Read more here.

Events

Monday, August 4, 2014 – CA Citizen Lobby Day (Sacramento)
Save the date. Hundreds of ASA Members and allies will meet in Sacramento for a legislative briefing and citizen lobby day in support for sensible legislation to better regulate commercial medical cannabis activity and protect patients’ rights. Mark your calendar now and plan to be in Sacramento. Details to follow.

Court Support

What is Court Support and how do I get involved?

Thursday, June 5, 2014 – Court Support for James, Logan, and Jacob Hearing (Redding)
Support medical cannabis defendants James Hearing and his sons Logan and Jacob in their preliminary hearing at 9:00 AM in Shasta County Superior Court located at 1500 Court Street, Redding, CA 96001. Dress in a professional manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendants. Thank you to The Human Solution for tracking this case.

Take Action

Join Americans for Safe Access (ASA)

This is the final week of ASA’s Spring Membership Drive. Have you joined yet?  Be sure to take advantage of some great membership incentives right now. ASA is the nation’s leading medical cannabis patients’ advocacy organization. The patients, medical professionals, scientists, concerned citizens, and other who comprise ASA are committed to promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works in partnership with state, local and national legislators to overcome barriers and create policies that improve access to cannabis for patients and researchers.

ASA Website Spotlight

News

The “News” tab on ASA’s home page is a one-stop resource for medical cannabis patients, advocates, and concerned citizens for up-to-date information about local, state, and national medical cannabis news. You will find feeds there for our latest blog and social media posts. You can also find a feed there for ASA’s influential press releases, which we send a large list of media outlets. You will not see these informative press releases on our announcement lists, so be sure to check them out on the website. Be an informed advocate by staying up-to-date on medical cannabis news on the ASA web site.

ASA Chapter & Affiliate Meetings

Tuesday, June 3, 2014 - San Francisco ASA (San Francisco)
The meeting starts at 7:30 PM at Lounge 847, 847 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103. Email [email protected] for more information.

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Wednesday, June 6, 2014 - Yuba County ASA (Valley)
The meeting starts at 7:00 PM at Rivers Edge Pub, 1 E. 12th Street, Marysville, CA 95901. Email [email protected] for more information.

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Thursday, June 7, 2014 - Sonoma ASA (Santa Rosa)
The meeting starts at 5:00 PM at Arlene Francis Center, 99 West 6th Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401. Email [email protected] for more information.

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.