CA Senate Committees Approve AB 2650

| June 30, 2010 |

Two California Senate committees approved a bill this week that will require a 600-foot buffer zone between medical cannabis collectives and schools statewide. AB 2650 was approved by the Senate Health Committee and the Local Government Committee over the objection...

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City Attorney Joins Vigil for LA Victims

| June 26, 2010 |

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich was one of more than sixty people who gathered last night for a candlelight vigil for the victims of two violent attacks at medical cannabis collectives this week.  Two people were killed and one...

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ASA Rejects Unfair Taxes - No on SBX6 16 (CA)

| June 19, 2010 |

Update June 23 - Sen. Calderon has withdrawn SBX6 16. Thanks to everyone who helped get this done! California Senator Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) wants to add a new tax medical cannabis in California. If adopted, SBX6 16 would tax legal...

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Troubling Trend of $1 Million Bails in Medical Marijuana Cases

| 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...

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Calaveras Sheriff Brazenly Engages in Identity Theft to Entrap Medical Marijuana Provider

| 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...

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VICS Constitutional Challenge of Health Canada Medical Cannabis Program Successful!

| 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...

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Under Obama, DEA Raids Again, This Time in Force

| 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...

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ASA Weekly Alert 1-30-2009

| 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....

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Eat, Sleep, Swim… and Smoke

| 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...

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ASA Weekly Alert 1/23/2009

| 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...

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