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The California Campaign for Safe Access (CCSA) is Americans for Safe Access’ oldest and largest state campaign. This California Weekly Roundup is your way to stay on top of medical cannabis news, events, action alerts, court support, and more.

Last week…

•  ASA brought constituents from Sonoma and Riverside Counties to Sacramento to talk about SB 987
• ASA answered dozens of constituent support calls and emails about discrimination, finding local access, and more
• ASA helped frame the conversation about medical cannabis by talking to reporters about regulation, taxation, enforcement, and more

This week…

• Attend the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Hearing or watch live online

Get all the news, events, action alerts, & more...

• News 
• Events 
• Take Action Now  
  
• Court Support 
• ASA Website Spotlight  
• Chapter & Affiliate Meetings 

NEWS      

 National

Former Attorney General: Marijuana Should Be Rescheduled

Study: Long-Term Cannabis Use Associated With Improved Pain Relief, Reduced Opioid Use

California

Marin IJ Editorial: Proposal for costly tax on medical marijuana

A Pain In The Bud: Restructuring A (California) Medical Marijuana Non-Profit

Local

California Town Ditches Prison Economy, Embraces Cannabis Farms (Adelanto)

Los Angeles Cracks Down on Deliveries (Los Angeles)

How easy was it for a news reporter to get a medical marijuana card? (San Bernardino)

Recalls, medical marijuana take center stage in Upland (Upland)

Court ruling favors Long Beach in medical marijuana case; new ballot measure pending (Long Beach)

Three arrested in Anaheim marijuana shop raid (Anaheim)

Simi Valley council moves to ban personal cultivation of medical marijuana (Simi Valley)

Catholic schools would be way better if they were run by these nuns (Merced)

Palm Springs sues to shut down marijuana dispensary (Palm Springs)

First-Ever Museum Exhibition On Marijuana In California To Open In April (Oakland)

Marijuana group poised to sue county (Humboldt County)

County extends medical marijuana rules (Monterey County)

Siskiyou to vote on cannabis ordinances (Siskiyou County)

Placer Co. seeks input on regulation (Placer County)

Apple Valley Town Council extends moratorium on medical marijuana (Apple Valley)

PUBLIC MEETINGS & EVENTS 

February 29, 2016 – Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Hearing (Sacramento)

2:00 PM in room 4202 in the State Capitol Building. The committee will hold an informational hearing on issues related to banking and medical cannabis. You may listen live online at http://assembly.ca.gov/listen/4202-audio

March 2, 2016 - Cultivator's Alliance Meeting (Los Angeles)

11:00 AM at Law Offices of Nelson Hardiman, 11835 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90064.This organization represents the voice of cultivators in the Los Angeles area and is working to reform city ordinance to license commercial cultivation. Email [email protected] for more information.

March 2, 2016 - Meet CA Democratic Party Vice Chair Eric Bauman and Assembly Candidate Tim Sheridan (Riverside)

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at THCF Medical Clinic, 647 Main St, Suite 4D, Riverside, CA. The Brownie Mary Democratic Club of Riverside County hosts Eric Bauman, CA Democratic Party Vice Chair and LA County Democratic Party Chair, and Tim Sheridan, Democratic candidate for California's 42 Congressional District. The suggested donation is $25+. Email [email protected] for more information.

March 3, 2016 – Berkeley Medical Cannabis Commission Meeting (Berkeley)

2:00 - 4:00 PM at Berkeley City Hall, 2180 Milvia St., (between Center and Alston), Redwood Room, 6th floor, Berkeley, CA. This month's agenda items include: public comment, election of officers, commission's dispensary application recommendations to mayor/ BCC, and cultivation licensing selection process. Email [email protected] for information.

March 18-22, 2016 – National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference (Washington, DC)

All day at the Loews Madison Hotel, 1177 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005, and the US Capitol Building. Register for the conference today. The theme this year’s conference is “Harmonizing Medical Cannabis Policy and Reality.” Our goal is to connect advocates, industry workers and leaders, researchers, doctors and others to effect real change for medical cannabis. Get signed up today so that you can be a part of it all. Click here to book your hotel room or call 1-855-325-6397. Use Reservation ID NUC316 to make your reservations. Be sure to mention the ASA Unity Conference to get the best rate. Visit http://www.nationalmedicalcannabisunityconference.org/ for all the details.

TAKE ACTION NOW 

Oppose SB 987 in California: No more taxes on medical cannabis (California)

California Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) has introduced SB 987, a bill that will assess an additional 15% excise tax on medical cannabis in the state.  The new tax will be in addition to the ordinary state sales tax and any local tax patients already pay for their doctor-recommend medicine. SB 987 imposes an unnecessary and unfair burden on medical cannabis patients.

SB 987 is harmful for patients. Medical cannabis is already subject to ordinary sales and use tax of between 7.5 and 10%, depending on the jurisdiction. Additionally, some cities and counties already impose an additional local tax of up to 15% on medical cannabis.

Adding an additional 15% to the cost of medical cannabis, which is not covered by insurance, will be an economic hardship for legal patients – especially those who are already economically vulnerable…

Ask the United Nations to Reschedule Cannabis (National)

As preparations begin for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drug policy (UNGASS 2016) we at Americans For Safe Access and the International Medical Cannabis Patients Coalition are calling on medical cannabis patients around the world to contact their UN Ambassador and encourage them to reconsider international drug policy and the outdated 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The UN must take action to address the clear disparity between their policy and the medical, scientific and legal realities. We've developed an example letter for folks to work from and made it simple to contact our UN Ambassador via email. So please lend your name to support access for medical cannabis patients not only in the US but across the world…

COURT SUPPORT 

What is Court Support and how do I get involved? 

March 7, 2016 – Court Support for Trevor Alcorn (Redding)

2:00 PM at 1655 West St, Redding, CA 96001. Settlement conference. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendant. 

Find more information and additional listings on The Human Solution Calendar: http://www.thsintl.org/calendar

ASA WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 

4th Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference

Register now for our 4th Annual National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference in Washington, DC.  Unity 2016 is your place to gather with other patients, providers, activists, medical and legal professionals from around the country; to learn best practices, exchange ideas and learn how to navigate medical marijuana in this new political landscape.

Between the uncertainty of policies of a new US President and the United Nations meetings on Drug Policy, 2016 will go down in history as one of the most significant years for medical cannabis policy ever. We have an incredible opportunity to change laws and set policy in motion that will result in safe access globally. Our goal is to connect advocates, industry workers and leaders, researchers, doctors and others to effect real change for medical cannabis. Get signed up today so that you can be a part of it all at the Lowes Madison Hotel in Washington, DC, March 18-22, 2016.

As a participant, you will meet, network with, and learn from other patients, providers, activists, medical and legal professionals from around the country.  You will also work with this incredible community to change domestic and international policy.

Have something to share?

The “California Weekly Roundup” is a once-a-week email for ASA Members and Friends that focuses on relevant news and important updates, action alerts, meetings and special events. Send items for the California Weekly Roundup to [email protected] before 12:00 PM on Friday to be included in Monday's distribution.