Press Releases
Christopher Brown
All Three Defendants in Kettle Falls Medical Cannabis Cultivation Case Receive Jail Sentences - Americans for Safe Access
Spokane, WA – Earlier today Rhonda Firestack-Harvey and Michelle Gregg were sentenced to one year and a day in connection to federal cannabis cultivation charges. Fellow defendant Rolland Gregg received a sentence of 33 months. All three were released pending appeal. In March the trio was acquitted of all crimes they were initially charged with, except for the “lesser included” charge of cannabis cultivation. The defendants were arrested in August of 2012 after the Drug Enforcement Agency seized cannabis plants on their property, which had been grown for medical purposes. They were barred from raising a medical necessity defense, despite Washington State law allowing for the cultivation of medical cannabis.
Christopher Brown
Canadian Research Study Demonstrates Medical Cannabis Safety Profile - Americans for Safe Access
Montreal- Researchers associated with McGill University and the University of British Columbia recently published results from a study showing that medical cannabis patients were no more likely to suffer serious adverse events during treatment than non-cannabis patients. “Cannabis for the Management of Pain: Assessment of Safety Study (COMPASS),” published online in the Journal of Pain, monitored the health of chronic pain patients using medical cannabis and of a control group. The study was led by Dr. Mark Ware, Director of Clinical Research of the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit at the McGill University Health Centre and Executive Director of the non-profit Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids.
Christopher Brown
Dr. Sue Sisley To Lead A Clinical Lecture At Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital On PTSD and Cannabis - Americans for Safe Access
Bethesda, MD- Today, Dr. Sue Sisley will be lead a clinical lecture on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and cannabis as part of the 5th Annual Pain Care Skills Training at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Research has indicated that cannabis has tremendous therapeutic potential to treat PTSD and pain-related symptoms of many medical conditions. The Pain Care Skills Training is a four day event that includes hands-on trainings, lectures and roundtable discussions on best-practice models of treatment, and evolving solutions to meet the needs of pain care within the military, hosted by the National Capital Region Pain Initiative.
"The military has historically been a leader in adopting new medical practices far ahead of the larger medical community," said Sue Sisley. "It's an honor to be able to help educate these highly dedicated medical professionals about medical cannabis and PTSD."
Christopher Brown
California Legislature Passes Medical Cannabis Regulation - Americans for Safe Access
Sacramento, CA- On September 11th, 2015 the California State Legislature passed a series of bills that would establish comprehensive regulation and licensing of medical cannabis. Assembly Bills 243 and 266 as well as Senate Bill 643 were all approved and will delegate regulation of commercial medical cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and distribution to various state agencies as well as create a state-level licensing system for the first time in the history of the state’s medical cannabis program. Governor Jerry Brown is widely expected to sign all three pieces of legislation.
Christopher Brown
ASA Program to Provide Training For MD Medical Cannabis Compliance Inspectors - Americans for Safe Access
Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has been selected to provide training for compliance inspectors operating under the authority of the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission. The auditors are charged with ensuring members of the state’s new medical cannabis industry comply with all applicable regulations, which were finalized by the Commission in August.
In addition to developing its own rigorous compliance protocols, Maryland has adopted the American Herbal Product Association’s (AHPA) Recommendations to Regulators in the areas of: cultivation, distribution and manufacturing. AHPA’s guidelines offer seed-to-consumption product safety and quality control measures that will ensure rigid oversight of the state’s medical cannabis industry.
Auditor training will be offered through the Patient Focused Certification (PFC) program, a project of ASA with extensive experience training members of the cannabis industry to meet strict regulatory compliance guidelines. PFC has trained thousands of employees of the medical cannabis industry and is currently under contract with the District of Columbia to train all medical cannabis staff to achieve comprehensive regulatory compliance.
Christopher Brown
ASA Statement on DOJ Memorandum Regarding Guidance on Effect of Rohrabacher-Farr Medical Cannabis Amendment - Americans for Safe Access
Earlier today, press reports revealed a February 2015 memorandum from Department of Justice on the Rohrabacher-Farr Medical Cannabis Amendment’s impact on federal law enforcement actions related to the Controlled Substances Act. The memorandum argues that federal prosecutions against private citizens participating in state-level medical cannabis programs would not be impacted by the amendment.
ASA Government Affairs Director Mike Liszewski issued the following comment:
Christopher Brown
Advocacy Group Launches The Truth About Medical Marijuana Educational Series - Americans for Safe Access
Washington, DC- This morning Americans for Safe Access (ASA) launched the Truth About Medical Marijuana educational website and accompanying event series. The Truth About Medical Marijuana will focus on emerging issues in the area of medical marijuana, including understanding the research behind the medicine, emerging policies issues surrounding cannabidiol (CBD) and consumer safety issues. During each of the next three months, event hosts will focus on these issues and prepare attendees to share that information with politicians and key decision makers, as well as providing tools to counter misinformation in the media.
“With the majority of Americans living in states that allow at least some kind of medical marijuana it’s time to move beyond rhetoric and headlines and foster a genuine understanding of this too often misunderstood medicine,” said Steph Sherer ASA Executive Director. “With the Truth About Medical Marijuana, we’re filling a void by giving people straightforward explanations of the science behind medical marijuana and explaining how medical marijuana relates to them and their families.”
Christopher Brown
Congressional Briefing to Highlight Need to Fix Research System for Marijuana - Americans for Safe Access
Washington, DC- On Thursday, July 23rd Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is hosting a Congressional Briefing with Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) on federal barriers faced by researchers working to understand the medical uses of marijuana. The briefing will provide expert insights on how federal policy has undermined medical marijuana research, the state of contemporary medical marijuana research and the impact of reform proposals.
Chris Brown
Governor Jerry Brown Signs AB 258 the Medical Cannabis Organ Transplant Bill - Americans for Safe Access
Sacramento, CA - Today Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 258, the Medical Cannabis Organ Transplant Act. AB 258 prohibits discrimination against medical cannabis patients in the organ transplant process, unless a doctor has determined that medical cannabis use is clinically significant to the transplant process. Medical cannabis patients in California have been routinely removed from the organ transplant waiting list if they test positive for cannabis use – even legal doctor-recommended medical cannabis. AB 258 was authored by Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) and sponsored by Americans for Safe Access (ASA).
“AB 258’s passage is the result of ASA’s membership tirelessly work for over two years,” said Don Duncan ASA’s California Director. “In California legal medical cannabis patients will never again face a choice between their doctor-recommended medicine and a life-saving organ transplant. Governor Brown deserves credit for protecting medical cannabis patients from this harmful discriminatory practice that has no bias in medical research.”
On June 15th over 200 patients and advocates participated in the ASA California Citizen Lobby Day, which focused on educating lawmakers about AB 258 and other medical cannabis legislation. During the lobby day ASA began a postcard campaign to encourage Governor Brown to support AB 258.
Christopher Brown
Drug Caucus Holds Hearing on Barriers to Cannabidiol Research - Americans for Safe Access
Washington, DC - Earlier today, the Senate International Narcotics Control Caucus held a hearing on facilitating cannabidiol (CBD) research. CBD is found in cannabis and has shown great potential to treat intractable epilepsy and numerous other therapeutic benefits. According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) CBD is considered a schedule I substance, despite the growing body of evidence indicating therapeutic benefits to patients suffering from dravet syndrome and other severe forms of epilepsy. The hearing also focused on regulatory oversight and reforming the process for researchers to obtain cannabis.
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