HOLLYWOOD BRIEFING BY DEA CHIEF DRAWS PROTESTS

CA, STATEWIDE—The last time Asa Hutchinson visited California, the DEA raided two San Francisco medical marijuana dispensaries, seizing property and arresting four prominent activists including nationally renowned author Ed Rosenthal. Tomorrow, Hutchinson returns to the state to brief Hollywood’s top brass just as Rosenthal appears before a Federal Court in San Francisco. Medical marijuana patients and supporters of Proposition 215 plan to protest at both venues to tell the real story about the DEA’s supposed fight against terrorism and to push back the Federal crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. “What does national security have to gain from criminalizing chronically ill Americans?” asks Hilary McQuie of Americans For Safe Access, a group organizing the protests, “In California, it’s the DEA spreading fear and insecurity.” The protests follow a wave of nationwide protests and direct action at 55 offices of the DEA to demand safe and legal access to medical marijuana. Thousands participated in the June 6th events that shut down several DEA offices for the day and resulted in dozens of arrests for non-violent civil disobedience.

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LOS ANGELES: Protest at Asa Hutchinson’s Entertainment Industries Council Briefing WHEN: 7:30-11:00 am WHERE: In front of the Beverly Hills Hotel at 9641 Sunset Blvd. CONTACT: Chris Galati: 310.453.5573, [email protected] SAN FRANCISCO: Protest to support Ed Rosenthal at the Federal Court WHEN: 2:00 pm WHERE: 450 Golden Gate Ave. CONTACT: Hilary McQuie: 510.486.8083, [email protected] ED ROSENTHAL is recognized worldwide as a leading authority on marijuana. In his 30-plus years as a marijuana advocate, he has written or edited more than a dozen books about marijuana cultivation and social policy that cumulatively have sold over one million copies. Rosenthal has also been active in promoting and developing policies of civil regulation for marijuana, advising California legislators and working on local and national political campaigns. AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS: Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is an aggressive grassroots campaign designed to grant states the right to choose and govern medical marijuana laws. ASA works to defend medical marijuana dispensaries and the patients they serve from attacks by the Bush and serves as a catalyst for grassroots activists to work effectively with drug policy reform groups and supportive local officials. ASA unifies medical marijuana advocates, patients, and caregivers around focused advocacy campaigns.