Medical cannabis news, events, and more from all over the state

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 met with City Council offices in four cities to promote local licensing for medical cannabis businesses.
  • ASA announced new support in Congress for legislation that will finally end the federal/state conflict over medical cannabis.
  • ASA gave twenty Californians $30,000 in scholarships for our annual conference in Washington, DC

This week…

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

NEWS

NEWS      

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National

Senator Graham Lends Support to Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Bill

Cannabis Compares Favorably To Conventional PTSD Treatments

Is it Time for Football to Reconsider Marijuana?

California

Here’s What the Wine Industry Can Teach Us About The Future of Marijuana

California's War on Vape

Local

Dirt-Poor Town Hopes Marijuana Will Bring Boom Times (Adelanto)

A new, older face of medical marijuana found in Laguna Woods (Laguna Woods)

Our View: It’s high time we had a community discussion about marijuana (Modesto)

Unionized California dispensary another sign of normalized weed (Santa Ana)

Planners appeal for medical pot shop changes (San Diego County)

Los Angeles County to crack down on illegal marijuana dispensaries (Los Angeles County)

Arroyo Grande to roll out looser medical marijuana laws (Arroyo Grande)

Supervisors enact outdoor medical marijuana ordinance (Yolo County)

Tehachapi City Council considers banning medical marijuana dispensaries (Tehachapi)

Pesticides on Medical Marijuana Force Huge Pot Contest, The Emerald Cup, to Tighten Its Rules (Santa Rosa)

High Anxiety: The bleak future of medical marijuana in Ventura County (Ventura County)

Council to revisit pot law (Hesperia)


Meetings

PUBLIC MEETINGS & EVENTS 

March 14, 2016 – Simi Valley City Council Meeting (Simi Valley)

6:30 PM at 2929 Tapo Canyon Rd, Simi Valley, CA 93063. Arrive early to complete a public speaker’s card in opposition to agenda item 7A, which bans personal cultivation of medical cannabis. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/452197661639635/ for more information. 

March 16, 2016 – San Diego County Board of Supervisors (San Diego)

9:00 AM at 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310, San Diego, CA. The Board will discuss a medical cannabis ordinance. There will be a time for public comments. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/223243891363893/ for more 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. Call (855) 325-6397 to make your reservations. Visit http://www.nationalmedicalcannabisunityconference.org/ for all the details.

April 1, 2016 - Taking the High Road: Comic Confessions from Behind the Cannabis Curtain (Santa Rosa)

Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 PM at Finley Community Center, 2060 West College Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401. This is a one-woman show written and performed by Sherry Glaser.  The show is a multi character, dramatic comedy based on her intrepid adventures in the world of Cannabis that led her to both write and perform in this timely topic.  This is a benefit for Sonoma Americans for Safe Access. Tickets are $25. Email [email protected] or call 707-684-0177 for more information.

April 8-9, 2016 – Mendocino Medical Cannabis Resource Conference (Willits)

9:00AM – 6:00 PM on both days at the Little Lake Grange, 291 School Street, Willits, CA 95490. Billed as “the essential two day conference on medical cannabis compliance and cannabusiness development.” ASA CA Director Don Duncan is one of the speakers. Information and tickets online at http://www.MendocinoCannabisResource.com

Take Action

TAKE ACTION NOW 

Sign the Petition to Ask Your Representative and Senators to Sign on to the CARERS Act! (National)

The CARERS Act is the most comprehensive piece of federal medical marijuana legislation that has ever been introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. The bipartisan legislation would remedy the state-federal conflict over medical marijuana laws.

The bill would allow state programs to continue without federal inference, move marijuana out of Schedule I, remove CBD from the scheduling, create access to banking services for legal marijuana businesses, end the Public Health service review process and NIDA monopoly that blocks research, and allow VA doctors to write recommendations in states that have a medical marijuana program.

Sign the Petition below to urge your senators and representative to protect safe access and patients right by signing onto the CARERS Act.

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.

Button

COURT SUPPORT 

What is Court Support and how do I get involved? 

March 18, 2016 – Court Support for Shelby Lucero (Sacramento)

9:00 AM at Sacramento Superior Court at 720 9th St., Sacramento, CA 95814. This is her 33rd Preliminary Hearing! 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 - This Week in Washington, DC!

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.

ASA CHAPTER & AFFLIATE MEETINGS 

None this week. Come to DC!

Chapter Meeting Archives –

See all California ASA Chapter Meetings here:
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/california_advocacy


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.