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Contents:

Message from the CA Director - Flex your grassroots muscle... today!

California News

• Marijuana news: California governor, worried about 'potheads,' is skeptical of legalized pot (California)
• Medical marijuana bill limits who can prescribe pot (California)
• Jailed For Medical Marijuana: California Man Gets 2 Years In Federal Prison For Managing Legal State Dispensary (California)
• California Man Begins 2-Year Prison Term For Working At Legal Marijuana Dispensary (California)
• Editorial: Long-overdue reforms for medical pot (California)
• City of Chula Vista fighting to close illegal medical marijuana dispensaries (Chula Vista)
• Medical marijuana patients accused of illegally growing at home turn down plea deal (Vista)
• Outdoor marijuana grow ordinance up for debate; Planning Commission seeks public input before making changes (Humboldt County)
• Cash shipment led to Mendocino pot dispensary raid (Mendocino County)
• Two arrested, suspected in making 'honey oil,' causing Palm Springs home explosion (Palm Springs)

Events

• Monday, March 10, 2014 – Livermore City Council Meeting (Livermore)
• Monday, March 10, 2014 – Court Support for Heath Phillips (Sacramento)
• Tuesday, March 11, 2014 – CA Assembly Public Safety Committee Hearing (Sacramento)
• Thursday, March 13, 2014 – Weed City Council Meeting (Weed)
• Thursday, March 13, 2014 – Court Support for Shelby Lucero (Sacramento)
• Monday, March 17, 2014 – Court Support for Elias Tuvor (Stockton)
• April 5-7, 2014 - The 2nd Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference (Washington, DC)

Take Action

• Tell CA Lawmakers to Reject AB 1588
• Join Americans for Safe Access (ASA)

ASA Website Spotlight

• Press Releases
• Free Online Services

ASA Merchandise

• ASA Cloud Vaporizer Pen
• ASA Condition-Specific Booklets for Kindle

ASA Chapter & Affiliate Meetings

• Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - Nevada County ASA (North San Juan)
• Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - Ventura ASA (Ventura)
• Tuesday, March 11, 2014 – San Diego ASA (San Diego)
• Thursday, March 13, 2014 – San Diego ASA (Imperial Beach)
• Thursday, March 13, 2014 – Yuba County ASA (Foothills)

Message from the CA Director

There are four bills to watch in the California legislature right now. I am talking to lawmakers, staff, and other stakeholders in Sacramento about these bills, but I need your help to be sure we stop bad bills and get good ones passed. I want to call on ASA members and friends statewide to make a commitment to speaking up about legislation this year. Will you do it?

Research conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation shows that citizen lobbyists like you are six times more persuasive than paid lobbyists. You can start flexing that grassroots muscle today by calling or sending an email message to the seven members of the California Assembly Committee on Public Safety and telling them to oppose AB 1588 at tomorrow’s hearing. See the “Take Action” section below for more information about this bill, which if adopted will make it harder to locate legal medical cannabis collectives in cities statewide.

Keep an eye on your inbox for updates and action alerts on these bills, so we can let lawmakers know that voters in every District in the state care about medical cannabis.

AB 604 (Ammiano) – This bill will create a new Division in the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to develop and enforce regulations for commercial medical cannabis activity. ASA strongly supports sensible regulations, although we have deep reservations about ABC oversight.

AB 1588 (Conway) – This Republican bill would increase the distance between patients’ associations and schools from 600 to 1,000 feet statewide and increase fines for violations substantially. See the “Take Action” section for more. ASA oppose this bill.

AB 2500 (Frazier) – This bill would make it a crime to drive with any detectable amount of THC in your blood – even if you are a patient and not driving impaired. ASA opposes this bill.

SB 1262 (Correa) – This bill establishes strict rules for doctors recommending medical cannabis, affirms the right of cities to ban patients’ associations, and sets surprisingly reasonable safety guidelines for medical cannabis facilities. I am talking with the Author, staff, and others to find ways to improve this bill. Look for more information on SB 1262 soon.

California News

Marijuana news: California governor, worried about 'potheads,' is skeptical of legalized pot (California)
By Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee

The last time lawmakers tried to regulate California’s medical marijuana industry, the League of California Cities warned of “a radical expansion of existing law” and “a slippery slope to distribution of marijuana for recreational use.” And police groups rushed out talking points protesting the “creation of a massive, for-profit medical marijuana model.”
Read more here.

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Medical marijuana bill limits who can prescribe pot (California)
By Laura Olson in the OC Register

Law enforcement groups and municipalities have switched tactics in the debate over regulating medical marijuana in California, and are pushing a bill that protects local bans and limits who can recommend the drug. The legislation would require patients to go through their primary-care doctors – or someone their primary doctor refers them to – to get documents to purchase medical marijuana.
Read more here.

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Jailed For Medical Marijuana: California Man Gets 2 Years In Federal Prison For Managing Legal State Dispensary (California)
By Peter Black in Design & Trend

A California man was sentenced to two years in federal prison for participating in the state's legal medical marijuana dispensary business. Federal officers raided Robert Duncan's growhouse in October 2011 after the Obama Administration announced a crackdown on California's medical marijuana operation. Duncan will now need to report to Mendota Federal Correctional Institution on Monday by 2pm to begin his term, The Huffington Post reported.
Read more here.

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California Man Begins 2-Year Prison Term For Working At Legal Marijuana Dispensary (California)
By Khier Casino in Opposing Views

A California man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after participating in the state’s legal medical marijuana dispensary business. Robert Duncan’s grow house was raided by federal officers in October 2011 when the Obama administration announced a new crackdown on California’s medical marijuana operation. Duncan, 31, was set to report Mendota Federal Correctional Institution on Monday at 2 p.m. to begin his two-year prison sentence, the Huffington Post reports.
Read more here.

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Editorial: Long-overdue reforms for medical pot (California)
By Staff at the Marin Independent Journal

For years, there's been a lot of room for reasonable enactment of the 1996 voter-approved medical marijuana law. Unfortunately, there has been little political leadership on this issue. Many cities passed bans aimed at stopping medical marijuana dispensaries from opening, even though local voters endorsed the 1996 measure. Council members, instead, listened to warnings from their police
chiefs that dispensaries would invite crime and drug abuse.
Read more here.

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City of Chula Vista fighting to close illegal medical marijuana dispensaries (Chula Vista)
By Joe Little on ABC 10 News

Two new shops in Chula Vista have local parents up in arms. Recently, two medical marijuana dispensaries opened up in the same strip mall less than two blocks away from Feaster Charter School and a neighborhood. One angry parent called 10News to ask us to look into how the stores were in business.  She was too afraid to be interviewed on camera. The stores were a bit of a surprise to parents,
neighbors and the city, especially since the Chula Vista City Council outlawed pot shops in 2011. However, medical marijuana is legal in California.
Read more and watch a video here.

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Medical marijuana patients accused of illegally growing at home turn down plea deal (Vista)
By Derek Staahl in San Diego 6 CW

A Ramona couple suffering from chronic illnesses will stand trial next week on charges of illegally cultivating marijuana and trying to sell it, despite their claims that the pot was for their own medical use. Dennis and Deborah Little both have county-issued medical marijuana cards. Dennis, 65, suffers from a nerve disorder. Deborah, 60, is a cancer patient who has been treated for AIDS for two decades. In October 2012, their secluded Ramona home was raided by state and federal agents who uncovered 29 marijuana plants, according to court testimony.
Read more here.

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Outdoor marijuana grow ordinance up for debate; Planning Commission seeks public input before making changes (Humboldt County)
By Will Houston in the Times-Standard

The Humboldt County Planning Commission is seeking public input at today's meeting ordinance that would limit crop sizes of outdoor medical marijuana grows. Under the proposed land use ordinance -- which would amend the Coastal and Inland Zoning Regulations sections of the county code -- qualified patients would be limited to five mature plants with a total canopy area of up to 50 square feet on small land parcels ranging from a half-acre to five acres.
Read more here.

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Cash shipment led to Mendocino pot dispensary raid (Mendocino County)
By Glenda Anderson in the Press Democrat

A package of cash shipped from Colorado to California triggered a three month investigation that culminated this week in the raid on a Mendocino medical marijuana dispensary and the arrests of nine people, Mendocino County Sheriff’s officials said Thursday.
Read more here.

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Two arrested, suspected in making 'honey oil,' causing Palm Springs home explosion (Palm Springs)
By Colin Atagi in the MyDesert.com

Attempts to make concentrated cannabis or “honey oil” caused two explosions this week and led to the arrest of two men, police said Thursday. Aaron James Ellwanger, 48, and Charles Douglas Wunderlich, 29, are accused of using flammable gas and unspecified heat sources to extract THC from marijuana, according to Palm Springs police. The gas ignited and set the homes on fire.
Read more here.

Events

Monday, March 10, 2014 – Livermore City Council Meeting (Livermore)
Representatives from a medical cannabis collective recently raided by the local police department will be asking the City Council to revisit its medical cannabis policy. Join them for public comments. The meeting starts at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers at 3575 Pacific Ave., Livermore, CA 94550.

Monday, March 10, 2014 – Court Support for Heath Phillips (Sacramento)
Support medical cannabis defendant Heath Phillips at his trail beginning at 8:30 AM in Department 9, Sacramento Superior Court, 720 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Dress in a professional manner and observe all courtroom rules to help the defendant. Thank you to The Human Solution for tracking this case.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 – CA Assembly Public Safety Committee Hearing (Sacramento)
The Assembly Public Safety Committee will consider AB 1588 (Conway), a bill that would require dispensaries to be located at least 1,000 feet from schools and increase fines for violations. ASA opposes this bill. Get the contact information for committee members online or attend in person to oppose the bill. The hearing starts at 9:00 AM in Room 126 in the State Capitol in Sacramento, CA.

Thursday, March 13, 2014 – Weed City Council Meeting
The City Council will debate an ordinance to ban outdoor cultivation of medical cannabis. ASA urges local advocates to speak in opposition to the proposal. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 550 Main Street, Weed, CA 96094.

Thursday, March 13, 2014 – Court Support for Shelby Lucero (Sacramento)
Support medical cannabis defendant Shelby Lucero at her hearing beginning at 1:30 PM in Sacramento Superior Court, 720 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Dress in a professional manner and observe all courtroom rules to help the defendant. Thank you to The Human Solution for tracking this case.

Monday, March 17, 2014 – Court Support for Elias Tuvor (Stockton)
Support medical cannabis defendant Elias Tuvor at 8:45 AM at 222 E. Weber Ave. Stockton, CA  95202.  Dress in a professional manner and observe all courtroom rules to help the defendant. Thank you to The Human Solution for tracking this case.

April 5-7, 2014- The 2nd Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference (Washington, DC)
We are pleased to announce the 2nd Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference, Navigating Medical Cannabis in the Mainstream, taking place April 5 – 7th at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. Americans for Safe Access and our allies will fight even harder for safe access in 2014. This is our chance to show the Obama Administration and Congress our strength in unity – and to make our voice heard like never before in the nation’s capitol! The conference is your chance to network with other activists from around the country, attend panels and workshops to improve your skills and increase your knowledge, and to engage in direct citizen-lobbying efforts in the halls of Congress. Last year we had over 300 patients, providers, activist, medical and legal professional march on Washington on our lobby day. This was the largest march on Washington for safe access. Dont miss your chance to be apart of history.
Read more, register for the conference, and book your room at the Mayflower Inn today.

Do you have a medical cannabis event to share? Send items for the California Weekly Roundup to [email protected] before 12:00 PM on Friday to be included in Monday's distribution.

Take Action

Tell CA Lawmakers to Reject AB 1588

The California Assembly Committee on Public Safety will hear testimony on AB 1588, a bill authored by Assembly Member Connie Conway (R- Visalia), on Tuesday, March 11. AB 1588 will increase the distance required between legal medical cannabis patients’ cooperatives and collectives and schools from 600 to 1,000 feet. The bill also increases the fine for violations to not less than $500 and not more than $10,000. ASA opposes the bill because it places an undue burden on legal patient-cultivators and providers and usurps local authority to regulate medical cannabis. Call or email the committee member today.

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Join Americans for Safe Access (ASA)

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 provides legal training for and medical information to patients, attorneys, health and medical professionals and policymakers throughout the United States. We also organize media support for court cases, rapid response to law enforcement raids, and capacity-building for advocates. Your support makes it all possible. Join ASA or renew your membership today.

ASA Website Spotlight

Press Releases

Talking to the media is an important part of our mission to bring safe access to everyone who needs it. Media influences public opinion and policy makers, so it is important that the patients’ perspective be a part of that conversation. ASA sends press release every week about court cases, state and national legislative news, and more. These press releases help shape the national dialog about medical cannabis. In fact, ASA is quoted in the media almost every day! ASA Press releases can also be a great tool for staying up-to-date for advocates. You may not see theses press releases in emails we send to our California list, but you can read them any time in the Press section of our website.

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Free Online Services:

• Legal Support - Legal information for patients, lawyers, and other about medical cannabis laws the legal system.
• Publications - Education literature and training for patients, activists, and others.
• Raid Center - Be prepared for a law enforcement encounter, let ASA help you in case of a federal raid, and get text alerts regarding local law enforcement activity.
• Medical Cannabis Advocate's Training Center - Learn how to be a more effective advocate for medical cannabis and how to build the movement in your community.

ASA Merchandise

ASA Cloud Vaporizer Pen

Medicate and advocate! The ASA Cloud Vaporizer Pen is perfect for patients who want to show their support for the medical cannabis movement. The pen has an ASA logo, comes in our signature color, and has a lifetime guarantee. 30% of every sale goes to support ASA.

ASA Condition-Specific Booklets for Kindle
 
ASA’s condition-specific booklets are the go-to reference for doctors and researchers when it comes to medical cannabis and cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, and other common conditions. These science-based booklets are also a great tool for patients who want to talk to their health care provider, family members, or others about medical cannabis. Download your now.

ASA Chapter & Affiliate Meetings

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - Nevada County ASA (North San Juan)
The meeting starts at 2:00 PM at the North San Juan Senior Center, 29190 State Hwy 49, North San Juan, CA 95960. Email [email protected] for more information.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - Ventura ASA (Ventura)
The meeting is 6:30-8:00 PM at EP Foster Library Rentfrow Conference Room, 651 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001. Email [email protected] or call (805) 648-2716 for more information.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 – San Diego ASA (San Diego)
The meeting starts at 7:30 PM at Giovanni's Restaurant - 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92123. Email [email protected] for more information.

Thursday, March 13, 2014 – San Diego ASA (Imperial Beach)
The meeting starts at 6:00 PM at 1233 Palm Ave, Imperial Beach, CA 91932. Email [email protected] for more information.

Thursday, March 13, 2014 – Yuba County ASA (Foothills)
The meeting starts at 7:00 PM at the Willow Glen Restaurant. 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.