Troubling Trend of $1 Million Bails in Medical Marijuana Cases Paul Marini | June 14, 2010 A troubling trend of excessive bails in medical marijuana cases has begun to occur over the past month. The operators of a long-standing Santa Barbara dispensary, currently held on $1 million bail each, are the latest victims of this unprovoked... Read more
Calaveras Sheriff Brazenly Engages in Identity Theft to Entrap Medical Marijuana Provider Paul Marini | June 11, 2010 Stooping to a new low, local law enforcement in California has resorted to identity theft in order to entrap, arrest and prosecute law-abiding medical marijuana providers. The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Department has admitted to using the physician’s recommendation and identity... Read more
VICS Constitutional Challenge of Health Canada Medical Cannabis Program Successful! Paul Marini | February 04, 2009 This post was written by Philippe Lucas, founder & executive director of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society (VICS), founder of Canadians for Safe Access, and member of ASA's Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. It is with great pleasure that I... Read more
Under Obama, DEA Raids Again, This Time in Force Paul Marini | February 03, 2009 Today the ASA office spent the better part of the afternoon responding to what's become the same old song and dance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. We confirmed two simultaneous raids by DEA agents on L.A. medical cannabis dispensaries this... Read more
ASA Weekly Alert 1-30-2009 Paul Marini | February 02, 2009 1. Thanks to Activist Opposition, LA Planning Committee Puts Off Dispensary Vote This week, the Los Angeles City Council's Planning Committee delayed a decision on a new medical cannabis ordinance that would have regulated dispensing collectives operating in city limits.... Read more
Eat, Sleep, Swim… and Smoke Paul Marini | February 01, 2009 US Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who won eight gold medals in the Beijing games last year, was photographed smoking cannabis at a college party in November. He issued the standard apology after a picture of him holding a water pipe... Read more
ASA Weekly Alert 1/23/2009 Paul Marini | January 26, 2009 1. Days After Obama is sworn in, DEA Exploits Transition; Raids Dispensary The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raided a medical cannabis dispensary Thursday in South Lake Tahoe in the first days of the new Obama Administration. Even though President Obama... Read more
CA Weekly Alert 1/19/2009 Paul Marini | January 19, 2009 1. San Deigo and San Bernardino Appeal ID Cards to US Supreme Court After three consecutive losses in court, San Diego and San Bernardino Counties sent yet another petition to the US Supreme Court, asking to quit their state-mandated obligation... Read more
Advocates Decry DEA Obstruction to Medical Marijuana Research - Obama Can and Should Regain an Adherence to Scientific Principles Paul Marini | January 12, 2009 Only days before President Bush is to leave office, his administration has dealt yet another blow to scientific integrity by refusing to implement the recommendations of DEA Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner and open up the production of cannabis... Read more
reason.tv Video Update on Charles Lynch Trial Paul Marini | July 31, 2008 Last month, reason.tv released a video about Charles Lynch and one of the patients he served before being raided by the DEA. Now that the trial has gotten underway, reason.tv has released a video update on the trial. Check it... Read more