ASA in the News
Geoffrey Marshall
Biden’s wariness on marijuana puts another target on his back - Americans for Safe Access
By Mona Zhang for Politico
“Although Schedule II might not be a perfect solution, anything is better than where it is now in Schedule I,” said Steph Sherer, president of medical marijuana advocacy organization Americans for Safe Access. While the group would certainly like to see marijuana removed from the Controlled Substances Act, its stance is that rescheduling is the more realistic option, politically.
Geoffrey Marshall
Bills could offer marijuana break for veterans - Americans for Safe Access
By Billy Cox for Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Some states do not include a cost for the medical cannabis card at all (NM). IL offers veterans a discounted cost, OR offers a veteran discount that reduces the fee to $20, and there are a few other states that offer need-based discounts. So it is possible FL may be the first to charge a registration fee but offer a free application to vets.”
- Debbie Churgai
Geoffrey Marshall
Gifting cannabis to the terminally ill becomes tax-exempt in California - Americans for Safe Access
By David Downs for Leafly
“Allowing licensed retailers to donate medical cannabis is a logical and compassionate reform that will make a life-changing difference for patients in need.”
- Sean Khalepari
Geoffrey Marshall
Advocacy: Americans for Safe Access - Americans for Safe Access
By Lindsey Getz for CRx Magazine
In the not-so-distant past, the use of medical cannabis was not only socially unacceptable but also thoroughly illegal. In those early days, the need for patient advocacy was vital, and Americans for Safe Access (ASA) was among the most outspoken advocates. The conversation has evolved rapidly in the past decade and beyond, but because there’s a lingering stigma that affects access, ASA continues to be one of the loudest voices speaking out for patients’ rights.
Geoffrey Marshall
Hemp CBD scorecard draws controversy - Americans for Safe Access
By Todd Runestad for New Hope Network
“We cover all aspects of cannabis hemp cultivation and processing. People are like, ‘Who says you are doing it the right way?’ To answer that question, we are getting our ISO-17065 standard. We are doing it the right way.” - Heather Despres, director of the Patient Focused Certification for Americans for Safe Access
Geoffrey Marshall
Adult-Use Legalization Could Hurt Michigan Workers at Drug-Testing Time - Americans for Safe Access
By Kimberly Haynes Taylor for Weedmaps News
“You're going to see a fadeout of these pre-employment employment drug screening tests as a requirement for employment with many of these larger companies.”
- David Mangone
Geoffrey Marshall
Would legalizing recreational marijuana be good for Pa.'s fledgling medical pot program? - Americans for Safe Access
By David Hurst for the Daily Iowegian
"With the rise of recreational shops, processors are turning their attention to products that have wider appeal. They have to make the most popular products to compete. And suddenly, specialized concentrates that some patients rely on are getting pulled off the shelves." - David Mangone
Geoffrey Marshall
Calls for regulation of medical cannabis devices following health crisis - Americans for Safe Access
From Medical Cannabis Network, Health Europa
Industry bodies call for better regulation of medical cannabis devices following the vapourisation health crisis in America.
In a letter to the heads of the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has called for the safe regulation of vapourisation products and cartridges, some of which are used by patients as a medical cannabis device. The National Cannabis Industry have also called for better regulation of illicit products.
Geoffrey Marshall
U.S. universities boost cannabis courses, marijuana research - Americans for Safe Access
By Jean Lotus for UPI
"We're excited that universities are finally taking the steps to teach the medical profession about medical cannabis. Whether it's in the lab or manufacturing, cultivation or at a dispensary, it's so important to understand how to work safely in the cannabis business, especially if you're producing medicine." - Debbie Churgai
Geoffrey Marshall
This Missouri Mom Fought Hard For Medical Marijuana. Now She’s Fighting To Pay Its High Price. - Americans for Safe Access
By Alex Smith for KCUR 89.3
“It is a huge burden on patients,” said Debbie Churgai, interim director of Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana patient advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.
A survey conducted by Americans for Safe Access found that nearly a third of patients across the country pay more than $500 a month for cannabis.
For many, the costs are simply too much. Churgai said that, after getting a green card, some patients end up buying marijuana on the black market, where it’s cheaper than in dispensaries. But it doesn’t undergo the careful testing that medical marijuana receives.
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