Blog

NEWS 

Follow @ASAdonduncan on Twitter for medical cannabis news and more.

National

• Senate OKs Medical Pot for Veterans
• The DEA chief called medical marijuana ‘a joke.’ Now patients are calling for his resignation
• Hillary Clinton proposes loosening restrictions on marijuana
• Strategies: Patent and Trademark Office not high on pot retailers and products

California

• Help wanted: California medical marijuana chief
• California Looks To Hire Medical Marijuana Czar

Local

• South Nevada County couple found guilty in pot sales case to ask for new trial (Nevada County)
• Santa Barbara City Council Looks To Revamp Marijuana Laws (Santa Barbara)
• How California's new medical marijuana regulations affect 'Measure A' (Butte County)
• San Marcos City Council Unanimously Approves Medical Marijuana Ordinance (San Marcos)
• Four Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Likely Coming to Marin (Marin County)
• Newport Beach says no to pot shops (Newport Beach)
• Sacramento Councilman Jay Schenirer to seek marijuana tax measure (Sacramento County)
• Oakland’s Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Move To Block An Open Market (Oakland)
• Pot War Flares Up: Council Persuaded to Allow Some Cultivation (Santa Barbara)
• New Medical Marijuana Regulations One Step Closer To Reality (Sacramento)
• Sonoma grows its own (Sonoma County)

PUBLIC MEETINGS & EVENTS 

November 20-21, 2015 - New West Summit (San Francisco)
All day at the Parc 55 Hotel, 55 Cyrill Magin St., San Francisco, CA 94102. A medical cannabis conference focused on technology, investment, and media. For details, costs, and registration, visit http://www.NewWestSummit.com ASA Members get 50% off the registration cost using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-west-summit-tickets-16928734300?discount=attendeefriends

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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. The theme this year’s conference is “Our Medicine, Our Safety, Our Rights.” 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. Here is the link to book your hotel: https://www.loewshotels.com/madison/Americans-for-Safe-Access?corpcode=NUC316 or call 1-855-325-6397 and use Reservation ID NUC316 to make your reservations. Be sure to mention the ASA Unity Conference to get the best rate. Make your reservation ASAP!

COURT SUPPORT 

What is Court Support and how do I get involved? 

November 19, 2015 - Free Baby Peter (Riverside)
10:00 AM at Riverside Juvenile Court, 9991 County Farm Rd., Riverside, CA 92503. Child custody case involving a newborn taken by CPS due to the mother’s legal medical cannabis use.

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November 19, 2015 - Court Support for Pure Life (Placerville)
8:30 AM at El Dorado County Superior Court, 495 Main St., Placerville, CA 95667. Pre-trial hearing. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendant.

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

ASA CHAPTER & AFFLIATE MEETINGS 

November 17, 2015 - San Francisco ASA (San Francisco)
The meeting starts at 7:30 PM at Lounge 847, 847 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103. Email [email protected] for more information.

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November 18, 2015 - Lake County ASA (Clearlake Oaks)
The meeting starts at 6:30 PM at the Moose Lodge, 15900 East Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423. Email [email protected] for more information.

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November 18, 2015 - East Bay ASA (Berkeley)
6:30 at 3025 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705, USA. Email [email protected] for more information.

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November 22, 2015 - Nevada County ASA (North San Juan)
The meeting starts at 2:00 PM at the North San Juan Senior Center, 29190 State Hwy 49, North San Juan, CA 95960. Email [email protected] for more information.

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

ASA WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 

Blog: DEA Chief Shows Yet Again He Has No Clue About Marijuana
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/dea_chief_shows_yet_again_he_has_no_clue_about_marijuana

DEA Chief Administrator Chuck Rosenberg has once again managed to stick his foot in his mouth about cannabis. Earlier this week, Rosenberg stated that the notion of patients finding therapeutic relief from cannabis bothered him, going on to say "don't call it medicine -- that is a joke."

The statement comes just a couple of months after the newly appointed DEA chief admitted that he was "not an expert" on marijuana, and had difficulty stating with certainty whether marijuana was more or less dangerous than heroin. After a week of what must have been intense internal deliberation, Rosenberg later clarified his position, but the embarrassment of nation's top drug enforcement agent's inability to assert the relative harms of substances was already done…

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Know the Rules of Engagement: Civics 101
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/training_know_the_rules_of_engagement

Being an effective advocate for medical cannabis often means engaging the political system. But for most of us, the ins-and-outs of City Hall or the State Legislature are a mystery. This chapter is designed to give you a basic understanding of how legislation moves through the system and what you can do to influence that process. You will be a more effective advocate for medical cannabis if you understand the structure and process of your state and local government and know how to work within that system…

ACTION ALERTS 

Join ASA today! (National)
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/join_asa

Membership matters! Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the nation’s leading medical cannabis patients’ advocacy organization. Our goal is to make medical cannabis legally available for everyone who needs it, and we need your help to make that happen!

ASA members are patients, caretakers, doctors, researchers, attorneys, providers and concerned community members who are helping to overcome barriers to safe and dignified access to medical cannabis nationwide. ASA provides a patient-focused prospective on medical cannabis legislation and regulations. We strive to change state and federal laws to meet the needs of patients.

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Call your Members of Congress to Support the CARERS Act! (National)
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/carers_calling

The CARERS Act is the most comprehensive piece of federal medical marijuana legislation ever introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. The bill would allow state programs to continue without federal interference, move marijuana out of Schedule I, remove CBD from the scheduling, create access to banking services for legal marijuana businesses, eliminate the Public Health service review process and NIDA monopoly that block research, and allow Veterans Affairs doctors to write recommendations in states that have a medical marijuana program. Please call your two Senators and your member of Congress today to ask for their support.

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.