ASA in the News
Geoffrey Marshall
Valley delegate introduces bill expanding the uses of medical cannabis oil - Americans for Safe Access
By Marina Barnett for WHSV3
Beth Collins, who is a Senior Director of Government Relations and External Affairs at Americans for Safe Access, said cannabis oil was the last option for her daughter, who suffers from epilepsy. She wants this bill to help other patients who are struggling with symptoms to get the help they need as well. The new bill lets doctors make that decision, instead of lawmakers.
"We just don't think that's a good approach for anybody, or fair, so we wanted to let doctors decide and Senator Dunnavant agreed to submit the bill," said Collins.
Geoffrey Marshall
Changing political climate threatens US cannabis research - Americans for Safe Access
By Rebecca Trager for Chemistry World
‘For a lot of people who are in the medical cannabis space, this is one of their biggest fears about Sessions – that he would rescind the non-interference cannabis policies of Obama,’ - Jahan Marcu
Geoffrey Marshall
The grass is green for careers in cannabis research - Americans for Safe Access
By Beryl Lieff Benderly for Science Magazine
Growing up with a close relative who used marijuana before legalization to alleviate symptoms of a medical condition inspired [Dr. Jahan] Marcu’s fascination with the plant’s relationship to the human body. Having researched cannabinoids’ anticancer activity as a technician and the structure, function, and signaling of cannabinoid receptors, especially in bone, for his Ph.D. dissertation, he now focuses on developing and implementing recognized, science-based standards to assure that the medicine sold is safe, pure, and what it purports to be.
Geoffrey Marshall
Can veterans be penalized for using pot? Answer is hazy - Americans for Safe Access
By Libby Denkmann for 89.3 KPCC
“As long as there’s a federal conflict with state laws, any patient has significant reason to be worried,” said David Mangone, legislative counsel for the advocacy group Americans for Safe Access. He added, while the danger of criminal prosecution is low, “any recreational user who receives federal benefits, they do run the risk of being subject to federal prosecution even if they are complying with state law.”
Geoffrey Marshall
Medical cannabis community must join together and resist any action taken against us - Americans for Safe Access
By Steph Sherer for The Hill
Yesterday, I awoke to the news that I have been fearing since Jeff Session was nominated as Attorney General, his Department of Justice is rescinding the non-interference cannabis policies from the Obama Administration, the 2013 Cole Memorandum. As I was trying to respond to the flood of texts and emails, I had to fight off flashbacks from events that plagued the first 13 years of my work at Americans for Safe Access.
Between 1996 and 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted 528 paramilitary-style raids (270 occurring during the Obama administration), filed civil asset forfeiture actions against property owners, and used bullying tactics to dissuade state elected officials from adopting or implementing medical cannabis laws. For each of these actions, dozens of lives were ruined and thousands of patients lost their access to medical cannabis. This was at a time when only twelve states had medical cannabis access programs.
Geoffrey Marshall
Medical marijuana supporters worry in light of Sessions' guidance - Americans for Safe Access
By Jen Christensen for CNN
Geoffrey Marshall
Legal pot's future jeopardized - Americans for Safe Access
By Kyle Midura for KTUU 2
Advocates for medical marijuana patients and providers - like Steph Sherer with Americans for Safe Access - describe the protection as "a ceasefire." She said she hopes Sessions' move leads Congress to permanently offer the medical marijuana community protection, rather than renewing it every year.
Geoffrey Marshall
Colorado Senator fires back on DOJ pot policy change - Americans for Safe Access
By Kellie Meyer for GrayDC
“Many providers of cannabis products grow for both medical and recreational so it would be very difficult to for the DOJ to crack down without affecting patients," - Beth Collins
Geoffrey Marshall
Trump administration targets recreational pot, placing thousands of marijuana businesses in California at risk - Americans for Safe Access
By Evan Halper, Joseph Tanfani and Patrick McGreevy for the Los Angeles Times
Sarah Armstrong, director of industry affairs for Americans for Safe Access, which advocates for legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research, said the Justice Department announcement was “really very upsetting and scary for patients who don't know, when they walk in the door, if there's going to be a raid.”
Even a crackdown solely on recreational marijuana could jeopardize medical users, Armstrong said, because many dispensaries will be serving both patients and other customers.
Geoffrey Marshall
V.A. Releases New Policy on Medical Marijuana - Americans for Safe Access
By Danny Reed for mg Magazine
“This change in policy is a victory for veterans because it encourages open and honest conversations between V.A. doctors and veterans about cannabis use. The men and women who put their lives on the line for our country deserve the best care and a wide variety of treatments, including medical cannabis to help them recover from the injuries of war. With veterans suffering from PTSD, chronic pain, and a variety of other ailments, cannabis cannot be left out of the discussion as a safe and effective treatment." -Steph Sherer
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