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Although medical cannabis has been legal in California for more than eighteen years, legal patients still face pervasive discrimination. I hear from patients facing discrimination in employment, housing, parental rights, or access to health care every week. This discrimination can have serious consequences for patients – sometime even lethal consequences. ASA is sponsoring legislation this year to prevent discrimination against legal patients who need organ transplants, in part, because at least one member has already died after being denied a place on the organ transplant waiting list due to his medical cannabis use.

Do you face discrimination as a medical cannabis patient? Are you a victim or workplace drug testing? Have you been denied prescription pain medication because you use medical cannabis? Have your parental or custody rights been infringed? ASA needs to hear from you. Our 26-question CA Discrimination Survey will help us talk to lawmakers, the media, and others about the very real discrimination faced by medical cannabis patients in California today.

The survey data could lead to better laws, court decisions, and untimely, less stigma about medical cannabis use. Please take a couple of minutes to complete the mostly yes-or-no questions, and then forward the link to others who might have useful input – http://www.safeaccessnow.org/ca_discrimination_survey

Thanks for helping!

ASA California Weekly Roundup: January 26, 2015

Contents:

News

• Editorial: Is marijuana really as dangerous as heroin and LSD? Finally, a welcome legal review (National)
• Medical Marijuana Notches Wins, Losses Across California (California)
• Major California newspapers evolve on marijuana (California)
• City council: No changes to marijuana ordinance (Redding)
• Yucca Valley edges closer to ballot measure for medical marijuana (Yucca Valley)
• San Diego tightens medical marijuana rules (San Diego)
• Berkeley council says marijuana collective must go, but operators vow to continue legal fight (Berkeley)
• Berkeley accepting applications for fourth cannabis club (Berkeley)
• Planet Herb medical marijuana trial wrapping up (Redding)

Events

• January 26, 2015 - Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense (Online)

• January 31, 2015 - Roundtable: Medical Cannabis and Legalization (West Hollywood)
• February 4, 2015 – Latino Community Outreach Meeting (Los Angeles)
• February 21, 2015 – Latino Community Outreach Meeting (San Diego)
• March 27-31, 2015 – ASA’s National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference 2015 (Washington, DC)

Court Support

• January 26, 2015 – Court Support for Connica Kellerman (Oroville)
• January 30, 2015 – Court Support for James, Jacob, and Logan Benno (Redding)
• And More

Take Action Now

• Take the Medical Cannabis Discrimination Survey (California)
• Support the Medical Marijuana Organ Transplant Act
• Join ASA’s Email Discussion List

ASA Website Spotlight: Return of Property

Chapter & Affiliate Meetings

• January 27, 2015 - San Diego ASA (San Diego)

News

Editorial: Is marijuana really as dangerous as heroin and LSD? Finally, a welcome legal review (National)
Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times

A federal judge has done what Congress and the Obama administration have failed to do — open a discussion on whether marijuana should continue to be listed as a Schedule 1 drug, a classification that is supposed to be used only for the most dangerous, addictive drugs, such as heroin and LSD.
Read more here:
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-marijuana-schedule-1-20150121-story.html

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Medical Marijuana Notches Wins, Losses Across California (California)
David Downs, East bay Express

California’s county-led rollback of Proposition 215 continues in 2015, with more and more jurisdictions banning basic medical cannabis activity.
Read more here:
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2015/01/21/medical-marijuana-notches-wins-losses-across-california

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Major California newspapers evolve on marijuana (California)
David Downs, Smell the Truth

California newspapers have been leveled over the last 15 years by their lack of foresight and innovation with regards to the rise of digital media. Their thought-leadership regarding drug policy has been equally lacking.
Read more here:
http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2015/01/21/major-california-newspapers-evolve-on-marijuana/

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City council: No changes to marijuana ordinance (Redding)
Evan Schreiber, KRCTV

Medical marijuana grows will stay the way they are in Redding. A discussion to prohibit outdoor cultivation in the city limits will not be moving forward.
Read more and watch a video here:
http://www.krcrtv.com/news/local/city-council-no-changes-to-marijuana-ordinance/30832608

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Yucca Valley edges closer to ballot measure for medical marijuana (Yucca Valley)
Jimmy Biggerstaff, The Hi-Desert Star

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Town Council directed staff to present a report on two proposed medical marijuana ballot measures at the Feb. 17 council meeting to address concerns of councilmen, citizens and dispensary advocates.
Read more here:
http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_dd42bb68-a288-11e4-ba97-c3ffb3037984.html

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San Diego tightens medical marijuana rules (San Diego)
AP, San Jose Mercury News

The San Diego City Council has approved stricter operating restrictions for medical marijuana dispensaries — but stopped short of regulating deliveries or tightening rules for smokeless products such as edibles.
Read more here:
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_27363285/san-diego-tightens-medical-marijuana-rules

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Berkeley council says marijuana collective must go, but operators vow to continue legal fight (Berkeley)
Tom Lochner, Times-Herald

Over the impassioned pleas of dozens of patients, a divided City Council on Tuesday declared a West Berkeley medical marijuana collective a public nuisance and ordered it to shut.
Read more here:
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/general-news/20150123/berkeley-council-says-marijuana-collective-must-go-but-operators-vow-to-continue-legal-fight

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Berkeley accepting applications for fourth cannabis club (Berkeley)
Tom Lochner, Inside Bay Area News

The application phase opened this week for what could become Berkeley's fourth medical marijuana dispensary. The deadline to submit an application is 4 p.m. March 20.
Read more here:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_27326902/berkeley-accepting-applications-fourth-cannabis-club

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Planet Herb medical marijuana trial wrapping up (Redding)
Jim Schultz, Record Searchlight

Attorneys in the felony trial of a Shasta County mother and daughter who owned and operated the Planet Herb medical marijuana collective in Redding squared off during closing arguments Wednesday with the jury set to start deliberating Thursday.
Read more here:
http://www.redding.com/news/local-news/planet-herb-medical-marijuana-trial-wrapping-up_41703917  

Public Meetings & Events

January 26, 2015 - Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense (Online)

6:00 PM at www.blogtalkradio.com/marijuananews Tune in for this weekly live Internet broadcast about cannabis and medical cannabis issues. You can call in to participate. 

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January 31, 2015 - Roundtable: Medical Cannabis and Legalization (West Hollywood)
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM in Community Room 1 at Plummer Park at 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046. Join the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform and the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance for a community discussion about the impact of cannabis legalization on medical cannabis. RSVP at http://www.ReformCA.com/West_Hollywood_Roundtable 

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February 4, 2015 – Latino Community Outreach Meeting (Los Angeles)
1:00 PM at Buds and Roses Collective, 13047 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604. Es una platica in espanol para educar pacientes y sus cuidadores en el uso de Marijuana Medicinal y sus derechos legales. La education necesaria sobre la Marijuana Medicinal para poder hacer una difirencia en si comunidad. Correo Electronico [email protected] para poder obtener mas informacion. (Spanish language event.)

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February 21, 2015 – Latino Community Outreach Meeting (San Diego)
Time to be announced. Chicano Park, beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, where Route 75 crosses Logan Ave. in San Diego. Es una platica in espanol para educar pacientes y sus cuidadores en el uso de Marijuana Medicinal y sus derechos legales. La education necesaria sobre la Marijuana Medicinal para poder hacer una difirencia en si comunidad. Correo Electronico [email protected] para poder obtener mas informacion. (Spanish language event.)

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March 27-31, 2015 – ASA’s National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference 2015 (Washington, DC)
Join us March 27th – 31stfor the biggest and most important medical cannabis conference yet. Early bird and ASA member discounts are now available. Save money on registration, travel, and lodging by registering now. For more information: http://www.nationalmedicalcannabisunityconference.org 

Court Support

What is Court Support and how do I get involved?

January 26, 2015 – Court Support for Connica Kellerman (Oroville)
8:30 AM at 1 Court St, Oroville, CA 95966. This is a jury trial. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendant.

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January 30, 2015 – Court Support for James, Jacob, and Logan Benno (Redding)
8:30 AM at 1500 Court St, Redding, CA 96001. James, Jacob, and Logan are a father and two sons who operated NorCal-Patient Coalition. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendants.

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Find more information and additional listings on The Human Solution Calendar: http://www.thsintl.org/calendar

Take Action Now

Take the Medical Cannabis Discrimination Survey (California)
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/ca_discrimination_survey

Medical cannabis patients still face pervasive discrimination when it comes to employment, housing, parental right, and equal access to healthcare. ASA is collecting data about discrimination against legal medical cannabis patients, primary caregivers, and providers to help educate lawmakers and regulators. The 26-question patient survey is up now. Please take a few minutes to answer the mostly yes or no questions.

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Support the Medical Marijuana Organ Transplant Act (California)
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/support_the_ca_medical_marijuana_organ_transplant_act

A patient in California can be denied a life-saving organ transplant solely based on the fact that he or she uses medical cannabis! Legal patients have died after being removed from the organ transplant list, and others are in jeopardy right now. Americans for Safe Access, the nation's leading medical cannabis patients' advocacy organization, proposes legislation to prevent anyone from being denied a transplant because of medical cannabis. Sign this petition to let lawmakers know you support the Medical Marijuana Organ Transplant Act to provide equal access to health care for legal patients.

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Join ASA’s New California Discussion List – ASA-CCSA (California)
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/asa_ccsa_email_discussion_list

ASA-CCSA is a membership-based email discussion list about local and state medical cannabis legislation, initiatives, referendums, and related litigation in the state of California. Unlike this weekly email, you can respond to messages on ASA-CCSA and share your response with everyone. The purpose of the list is to facilitate dialog and participation by movement and industry stakeholders. Respectful and courteous participation, conversations, and debate are welcome.

ASA Website Spotlight

Return of Property
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/return_of_property

Legal medical cannabis patients, caregivers, and providers may still face law enforcement encounters, and sometimes, have lawfully-possessed medicine, other property or money confiscated. What should you do if you believe you are entitled to a return of property? This section of ASA’s website can help you navigate the legal process to get you medicine or other property returned by the courts. Read about important victories ASA won in court to protect your rights, download sample motions, and more.

ASA Chapter & Affiliate Meetings

January 27, 2015 - San Diego ASA (San Diego)
6:30 – 7:30 networking, 7:30 meeting starts at Giovanni's Restaurant at 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92123. Email [email protected] for more information.

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See all California ASA Chapter Meetings here:
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/california_advocacy 

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.