Press Releases
David Mangone
Congress Permanently Legalizes Industrial Hemp through the 2018 Farm Bil - Americans for Safe Access
Contact: David Mangone | david@safeaccessnow.org | 202-857-4272 ext. 5
Washington, DC — The House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have passed legislation that legalizes industrial hemp, the H.R. 2, Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. The Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 87-13 and the House by a margin of 369-47. The legislation is still awaiting the president’s signature to become law. The provision that legalizes hemp is part of a larger bill known as the Farm Bill. If signed into law, the bill would allow for the production of hemp in all fifty states. The bill would also legalize the production and processing of the cannabis compound cannabidiol (“CBD”) if the CBD is derived from a plant that contains 0.3% or less tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) by dry weight.
Reenal Doshi
Medical Cannabis Experts Go to South Africa at Requests of SADC Governments Adherence to United Nations Treaties, Localized Treatments, and Export Capabilities Top Concerns - Americans for Safe Access
Contact from ASA: Reenal Doshi | 202-857-4272 x.4 | reenal@safeaccessnow.org
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Americans for Safe Access’s (ASA) research partner, the International Cannabis and Cannabinoid Institute (ICCI), is hosting a series of events for medical professionals, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) regulators, and future medical cannabis industry leaders. Following a series of requests for support and guidance, ICCI will be bringing global experts to Johannesburg to address concerns of policy makers and is opening up time with experts for medical professionals and those hoping to enter the medical cannabis industry in the region.
David Mangone
Americans for Safe Access Evaluates Utah Compromise Bill on Medical Cannabis - Americans for Safe Access
Contact: David Mangone | david@safeaccessnow.org | 202-857-4272 ext. 5
Washington, DC — On October 4, 2018 Utah legislators released draft text of legislation known as the Utah Medical Cannabis Compromise Bill. This bill was drafted in response to Proposition 2, a citizen led initiative that legalizes the medicinal use of cannabis in Utah, and was intended to fix perceived issues and shortcomings with the initiative. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) previously scored Proposition 2 when the initiative was certified and gave the initiative a score of 61.80% (309.02 / 500 points) When scored on the same matrix, the Medical Cannabis Compromise Bill received a score of 57.87% (286.83 / 500 points).
Reenal Doshi
U.S. Non-Profit Certification Program Joins Forces with International Standards Group - Americans for Safe Access
Contact: Reenal Doshi | 202-857-4272 x.4 | reenal@safeaccessnow.org
This week, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International), a global standards organization, and the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute (ICCI) announced a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on standards for the cannabis industry. ICCI, located in the Czech Republic, is the first European partner for ASTM International’s cannabis committee, which has grown to more than 500 members worldwide in its first two years.
Reenal Doshi
Americans for Safe Access Launches 2018 Medical Cannabis Voter Scorecard - Americans for Safe Access
Contact: Reenal Doshi | reenal@safeaccessnow.org | (202) 857-4272 x4
Washington, DC – Today, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) launched its Vote Medical Marijuana voter guide. The campaign features an interactive online voter's guide that grades members of Congress on their votes and sponsored bills on the issue of medical cannabis legislation.
Debbie Churgai
UCBA Announces Launch of Americans for Safe Access LA Chapter - Americans for Safe Access
Contact: Debbie Churgai | 202-857-4272 x.8 | debbie@safeaccessnow.org (ASA National Office)
Contact: Naomi Seligman | 310-617-4577 | nbseligman@tower26.agency (LA ASA Chapter rep)
LOS ANGELES (Sept 14, 2018) -- The United Cannabis Business Association (UCBA) will join forces with the Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the nation’s largest patient-focused medical cannabis advocacy organization, to launch the first ASA chapter in the Los Angeles area. Many patients in Southern California still face challenges with safe accessing cannabis, despite evidence supporting its efficacy, and policies legalizing such treatments. The new chapter will launch in October.
David Mangone
Illinois Takes Huge Step Forward in Combating Opioid Crisis with Medical Cannabis - Americans for Safe Access
Contact: David Mangone | david@safeaccessnow.org | 202-857-4272 ext. 5
Americans for Safe Access Calls on All States to End Pain, Not Lives by Passing Similar Legislation
Chicago, IL — Today at the Chicago Recovery Alliance, a nonprofit that oversees programs to prevent heroin overdoses, Governor Bruce Rauner (R) signed a bill that could greatly expand access to medical cannabis in the state of Illinois. The bill, SB 336, introduced by state Senator Don Harmon, allows certain individuals who have been given an opioid prescription to trade that prescription in for a medical cannabis card. The bill provides that a doctor may authorize the use of medical cannabis immediately for any patient who qualifies for a prescription of OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin or other opioids.
Heather Despres
California Laboratory Achieves National Certification - Americans for Safe Access
For Immediate Release: August 1st, 2018
Contact: Heather Despres | Heather@safeaccessnow.org
California Laboratory Achieves National Certification
Los Angeles, CA – Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is pleased to announce that Consumer Safety Analytics (AKA CannaSafe) Laboratory of Van Nuys, California has been certified for laboratory analysis of medical cannabis products under ASA’s Patient Focused Certification (PFC) program. PFC is a project of ASA, and the only nonprofit, third-party certification program for the medical cannabis industry based on quality standards issued by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP).
David Mangone
FDA Approves First Medicine Derived from Cannabis - Americans for Safe Access
Washington, DC — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a drug that contains an active ingredient derived from the cannabis plant. The drug, Epidiolex, an oral solution containing cannabidiol (CBD), will be the first and only FDA-approved CBD drug on the market. The FDA has approved Epidiolex for use only in the treatment of two rare seizure disorders (Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome), and is the first FDA-approved treatment for patients suffering from Dravet syndrome. While there have been other medications that mimic the natural cannabinoids found in cannabis that have received FDA approval, Epidiolex is the first non-synthetic medication to be derived directly from the cannabis plant. The FDA’s approval of Epidiolex shows that it is possible to make medications from complex plant extracts.
David Mangone
Senators Warren and Gardner Release STATES Act to Respect State Cannabis Laws - Americans for Safe Access
Washington, DC — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act (STATES Act) to respect state determinations about cannabis policy. The bill was also introduced in the House of Representatives by David Joyce (R-OH) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR).
State Advocacy Resources
