Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC — On April 28 and 29 of this year, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) will hold its 9th annual National Medical Cannabis Unity conference. For the last 8 years, ASA has brought together medical cannabis patients, caregivers, veterans, advocates, medical professionals, industry business leaders, health care providers, researchers, legal and regulatory experts, industry representatives to talk about the most important issues regarding medical cannabis access for patients. 

ASA’s Product Safety Certification Program, PFC, Internationally Recognized

Washington, DC —  American’s for Safe Access has achieved accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17065:2012 (Certificate #5284.01) standard for certifying bodies through their PFC Program. PFC is the first and only compliance program to obtain this international accreditation in the cannabis and hemp industries. This accreditation signifies that American for Safe Access’ PFC product safety program operates in a competent, consistent and impartial manner, giving clients and consumers the confidence and trust that is established by an impartial third party.

Washington, DC --  Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is mobilizing advocates as part of it’s Biden-Harris Can Do It: No Patient Left Behind campaign to contact Secretary Denis McDonough of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to allow VA physicians to recommend medical cannabis to veteran patients. 

Washington, DC -- Today, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) launched its Biden-Harris Can Do It: No Patient Left Behind campaign to seize the first 100 days of the new Biden- Harris administration as an opportunity to influence medical cannabis policies and mobilize a movement to pass comprehensive federal legislation in the 117th Congress.

Washington, DC -- Last night, the U.S. Senate passed unanimously by voice vote the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act (S. 2032). This marks the first time that a cannabis reform bill has passed the Senate. 

This bill combines two bills: the Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act and the Marijuana Effective Drug Studies Act. If enacted into law, the bill would remove existing barriers to scientific and medical research on cannabis and its compounds including CBD (cannabidiol). Click here for the full list of provisions.

Washington, DC -- Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed by a voice vote HR 3797, the  Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2019, bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Andy Harris (R-MD). 

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act), or  HR 3884, which was introduced by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) on July 23, 2019. The vote was historic, with the House voting for the first time to approve legislation to remove cannabis from Schedule I of  the U.S. Controlled Substances Act.

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) worked closely with Congressman Lou Correa’s (D-CA) office to secure language in the measure as it was brought to the House floor that authorizes research on the mental and physical health applications of cannabis to veterans. “ASA would like to thank Congressman Correa who has been a strong champion of veterans cannabis research, authoring HR 712, the VA Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2019, which was the basis of the amendment,” said Dustin McDonald, interim policy director of Americans for Safe Access.  

Removing from Schedule IV Will Have Far Reaching Impact on Medical Cannabis Patients Around the World

Washington, DC -- Today, a historic decision by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was made when it adopted the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations to remove cannabis and its resin from Schedule IV under the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, with the United States voting for the deletion from Schedule IV. A total of 27 countries voted in favor of removal from Schedule IV, 25 countries voted against, and one country abstained from voting (Ukraine). The Schedule IV placement is intended for drugs that are dangerous and lack therapeutic importance. 

ASA Urges the U.S. to Adopt the World Health Organization’s Recommendations 

Washington, DC -- On December 2, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) will meet in Vienna, Austria and may consider adopting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations to remove cannabis and its resin from Schedule IV under the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 among other ground breaking recommendations. The placement in Schedule IV indicates that cannabis is dangerous and lacks therapeutic importance. It was not based on scientific evidence.