MT Governor vetoes repeal, but the fight continues Paul Marini | April 14, 2011 [caption id="attachment_1391" align="alignnone" width="275" caption="Governor Schweitzer "][/caption]Medical cannabis patients in Montana scored a victory yesterday, when Governor Schweitzer vetoed a bill that would have repealed that state’s seven-year old medical cannabis law, but there is little time to celebrate. The... Read more
The Feds are Here! Paul Marini | April 12, 2011 The feds are here, and they are making their presence known. In March alone, the DEA raided 26 medical cannabis facilities in Montana, two licensed dispensaries in California, and a doctor’s clinic in Michigan. We need to fight back and... Read more
ASA trains medical cannabis professionals Paul Marini | April 11, 2011 [caption id="attachment_1373" align="alignnone" width="263" caption="Dr. Amanda Reiman"][/caption]More than forty medical cannabis advocates attended this weekend’s “Putting Patients First” training in Pasadena, California. This innovative new ASA training is designed to teach important professional skills for those in the field of... Read more
End Employment Discrimination in CA Paul Marini | April 06, 2011 Yesterday, the California Senate Judiciary Committee approved SB 129, legislation sponsored by Americans for Safe Access (ASA) that will protect responsible, law abiding medical cannabis patients in the state from employment discrimination. This is the first step in adopting this... Read more
Federal Agency Tips Hat to Medical Cannabis While 9-Year-Old Rescheduling Petition Gathers Dust Paul Marini | March 29, 2011 According to the Washington Independent, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has added "Cannabis" to its website as a Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM). This is the first time... Read more
Stop the Raids! Paul Marini | March 16, 2011 UPDATE: Patients Speak Up in Montana.Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is calling on medical cannabis patients and advocates to speak up in opposition to paramilitary-style raids on medical cannabis patients, growers, and providers in Montana and California this week. The... Read more
Valley Collective Steps Up Paul Marini | March 14, 2011 A San Fernando Valley collective is recruiting its members in the effort to sponsor ASA’s new training for medical cannabis professionals. The staff and operators at Buds and Roses in Studio City are asking patients to help sponsor “Putting Patients... Read more
ASA Works to Build the Base in MT Paul Marini | March 12, 2011 [caption id="attachment_1329" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer"][/caption]ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer testified before the Montana Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday in opposition to HB 161, a bill that would repeal the state’s six-year old medical cannabis law, before setting... Read more
In Maryland: Another year, another criminal? Paul Marini | March 08, 2011 Patients left the Senate hearing in Annapolis with an uneasy feeling last Thursday, wondering if they would have to suffer another year of criminal behavior. What appeared to start off as an optimistic legislative session for patients awaiting the passage... Read more
Los Angeles Votes on Medical Cannabis Tax Paul Marini | March 05, 2011 [caption id="attachment_1305" align="alignleft" width="86" caption="LA City Hall"][/caption]On Tuesday, Angelenos will decide whether or not to put an additional 5% tax on medical cannabis and vote in seven City Council races. Medical cannabis patients have a lot at stake in the... Read more