Congressional Medical Cannabis Champions Win Big in Reelection & Senate Bids Paul Marini | November 09, 2012 One of the least reported stories coming out of this year's Election Day results was the strong showing that medical cannabis champions had in their reelection bids this year. Even better for medical cannabis patients, 2013 will mark the first... Read more
Medical Marijuana Advocates Take Fight to DC Paul Marini | November 08, 2012 As the Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access, it’s my privilege to meet and facilitate the work of medical cannabis advocates throughout the nation. In the week before yesterday’s election, I drove all over Arkansas, visiting counties to drop... Read more
California Medical Association Calls on Governor Brown to Urge for Marijuana's Reclassification Paul Marini | October 31, 2012 More than two weeks ago, with less fanfare than it deserved, the California Medical Association (CMA) voted to urge Governor Brown to petition the federal government to reclassify marijuana for medical use. Notably, the vote occurred two days ahead of... Read more
Voters in Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Montana to Decide on Safe Access Paul Marini | October 31, 2012 On Election Day this year, voters may bring about the 18th and 19th medical cannabis states and preserve safe access in an existing medical cannabis state. Arkansas' Issue 5 and Massachusetts's' Question 3 would bring about a regulated medical cannabis... Read more
A big win for ASA in San Diego Paul Marini | October 24, 2012 California’s 4th District Court of Appeal overturned the conviction of San Diego medical cannabis provider Jovan Jackson today. The decision in People v. Jackson recognizes the right of medical cannabis dispensaries to exist and provide medicine to patient-members. The decision... Read more
Honoring Medical Cannabis Warriors Paul Marini | October 23, 2012 [caption id="attachment_3287" align="aligncenter" width="270"] ASA v DEA plaintiffs (l-r) Michael Krawitz, Bill Britt, and Cathy Jordan receive the Courage Award from ASA.[/caption]On Tuesday evening, October 16th, Americans for Safe Access celebrated our 10th anniversary - and patients' day in court... Read more
DC Circuit Orders Supplemental Briefing in Landmark Federal Medical Marijuana Case Paul Marini | October 17, 2012 Just hours after the U.S. Court of Appeal for the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments in the federal landmark case Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration, the court ordered supplemental briefing on the issue of “standing.” In a... Read more
Appeals Court hears case on medical value of marijuana Paul Marini | October 16, 2012 This morning, the federal Appeals Court for the DC Circuit heard an appeal in the case called Americans for Safe Access v Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is an appeal of the DEA's rejection of a petition filed in 2002... Read more
Meet the Plaintiffs of ASA v DEA Paul Marini | October 15, 2012 Tomorrow morning, the United States Court of Appeals in Washington DC will hear oral arguments in the landmark case, Americans for Safe Access v Drug Enforcement Administration. The case argues that the Drug Enforcement Administration acted irrationally in ruling that... Read more
A Plaintiff Speaks: My Quest for Safe Access Paul Marini | October 12, 2012 Shortly after California passed Prop. 215 in 1996, I asked the chief physician at my county clinic for a verbal or written recommendation to use cannabis medicinally. He told me that, while he had no problem with me using cannabis... Read more