Press Releases

House Del. Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore) holds press conference Friday before committee hearing on bill

Paul Marini | February 26, 2014

Annapolis, MD -- A medical marijuana bill introduced earlier this month by Maryland House Delegate Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore) and co-sponsored by nearly half of the House will be heard Friday at 1pm in the Health and Government Operations Committee. HB...

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Two California dispensaries are first to complete certification program with pending certifications in six states

Paul Marini | February 20, 2014

San Francisco, CA -- Patient advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) certified the first two dispensaries in the country today for its new nationwide program that verifies the quality and reliability of products sold at licensed medical marijuana businesses....

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Advocates vow to continue pressure on Obama Administration to establish comprehensive medical marijuana policy

Paul Marini | February 14, 2014

Washington, D.C. -- Medical marijuana advocates are applauding a new memorandum issued today by the U.S. Departments of Treasury (DOT) and Justice (DOJ) giving long-awaited guidance to financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, to provide services to marijuana-related...

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Letter signed by eighteen federal legislators says marijuana's current status "makes no sense"

Paul Marini | February 12, 2014

Washington, D.C. -- Eighteen Members of Congress joined together today in calling on President Obama to use his authority to reclassify marijuana from its current position as a dangerous drug, alongside heroin and LSD, with no medical value. A letter...

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Obama Administration and Congress can each reclassify marijuana for medical use

Paul Marini | January 31, 2014

Washington, D.C. -- Medical Marijuana advocates are telling President Obama he has the power to reclassify marijuana after he said today it is up to Congress. In an exclusive CNN interview, President Barack Obama responded to a question about the...

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Severely ill Jerry Duval lacks medical care while serving 10-year prison sentence, also pursues compassionate release

Paul Marini | January 22, 2014

Cincinnati, OH -- Michigan medical marijuana patient Jerry Duval and his son Jeremy, who are serving 10 and 5 years in prison, respectively, after being convicted in April 2012 without a defense in federal court, will argue their appeal Thursday...

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Representative Sherry Appleton Joins With Coalition of Patient Advocates to Defend Washington’s Medical Cannabis Law

Paul Marini | January 13, 2014

Seattle, WA -- Patients, doctors and caregivers have formed a powerful coalition to keep medical cannabis from being eliminated in the face of Initiative 502 implementation -- and to prove they mean business, the group has introduced a bill on...

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Jose Gutierrez was brutally arrested in April 2012 during peaceful protests, then convicted of assault himself

Paul Marini | January 09, 2014

Oakland, CA -- A medical marijuana activist and journalist who was brutally arrested in April 2012 during federal raids on multiple licensed businesses in Oakland will be sentenced Friday. Despite video evidence of the brutality leveled against Jose Gutierrez, he...

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Independent certification will benefit patients, healthcare providers, and regulators implementing medical marijuana laws

Paul Marini | December 17, 2013

Washington, D.C. -- Patient advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) launched a new nationwide program today that will certify the quality and reliability of medical marijuana products sold at licensed businesses. Patient Focused Certification (PFC) is the only nonprofit,...

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Scientific data, standards put to rest the notion that medical marijuana is a dangerous drug with no medical value

Paul Marini | December 12, 2013

Washington, D.C. -- Patient advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is hosting a Google Hangout today at 5:30pm PT (8:30pm ET) with a panel of leading medical and scientific experts to discuss by video the new cannabis monograph from...

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