Reach out to Local Press and Amplify the Impact of the State of the States Report

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On February 3, 2023, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) unveiled their annual report, “2022 State of the States Report: An Analysis of Medical Cannabis Access in the United States.” The report evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access, broken down into more than 100 categories, including: barriers to access, civil protections, affordability, health and social equity, and product safety. The report also assigns penalties for harmful policies.

Despite an increase in registered patient numbers and states with medical cannabis programs, the report highlights the fact that states are still falling short in creating programs that fulfill the needs of all patients-- the average grade among states was only 46.16% with Maryland earning the highest score of 75.71%. The report also highlights new issues facing patients including a decline in legislative improvements to state medical cannabis programs and the negative impacts recreational adult-use laws are having on medical cannabis access and offers solutions to improve state programs including legislative and regulatory language. ASA distributes the report to state legislators and regulators in every state, as well as media outlets, and hundreds of health and patient organizations across the country.

But we need Your help to AMPLIFY the impact of the report in the media!

  1. Forward the Press Release to local press outlets and your favorite reporters with a quotable note.

    Example:

    Subject: re: State Medical Cannabis Laws Graded by Patient Advocates in New Report

    I just wanted to bring this report to your attention. On February 3, 2023, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) unveiled their annual report, “2022 State of the States Report: An Analysis of Medical Cannabis Access in the United States.” The report evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective.

    As a patient in Colorado, I was happy to see someone else notice the negative impacts the adult use program is having on medical cannabis patients, but I am also inspired by the recommendations they make for policymakers in their Medical Cannabis Equity Checklist.

    The press release can be found at www.safeaccessnow.org/sos22_release or you can view their editorial briefing webinar at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l23c6I2ArBM.

    Happy to chat about Colorado’s grade!

    Sincerely,
    Jane Smith

  2. Send a Letter to the Editor for your local paper 

Why local papers?

Your representatives monitor local news for guidance on setting their agenda in your state house and it will increase the likelihood that your local news outlets will report on the SOS report. 

What is the timing?

ASAP: State legislatures are setting their agendas for 2023 right now and the report offers legislative language your representatives can introduce this session to improve the lives of patients!

What should my Letter to the editor say?

Opinion pieces vs Letters to the editor
Opinion pieces are longer, usually between 500-800 words, and there are fewer of them published. Letters to the editor are shorter and are often published as a response to something that the paper has published or didn’t report on. Check the paper for specific guidelines, see links below.

Make it relevant
Check to see if the paper you are writing covered the release of the SOS report or recently covered your state's cannabis laws. 

If not, you can reference other news stories, or ASA’s press release.

Make it personal
Reference how your state’s medical cannabis laws impact your daily life or the life of a loved one.

Add a critique

  • Reference your state’s grade 
  • Reference your state’s ranking 
  • Reference if your state was highlighted in the Gold Standards section for a particularly category

Add a solution

  • Quote “ASA’s Recommendations” from your state’s report card 
  • Mention the resources included in the report 

Create a snappy title

 Title Samples:

  • Re: THE HEADLINE OF A RECENT CANNABIS STORY 
  • Re: National Report Gives (YOUR STATE)’s Medical Cannabis Program a (GRADE)
  • (YOUR STATE) Needs to Do a Better Job Serving Medical Cannabis Patients

Sample Letters to the editor modified by program type 

  • LTE For States with Medical Cannabis Program and Limited Laws 

A Wake-Up Call for Arkansas Legislators on Medical Cannabis

On February 3, 2023, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) unveiled their annual report, “2022 State of the States Report: An Analysis of Medical Cannabis Access in the United States.” The report evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access.

Arkansas received a D+ and is ranked 31st in the nation. Addressing Arkansas legislators directly the report says:

“the state is still falling behind in areas related to patient costs and affordability as well as ease of administration and product safety…recommends that legislators enact policies that will protect the rights of minor patients on school grounds, expand retail access to sufficiently meet patient demand and cover underserved populations, including those living in rural areas.”

The report also points out that in 2022 fewer states made improvements in medical cannabis programs overall, and in states that have added recreational/adult-use markets, patients’ needs are pushed behind the new market and often forgotten. ASA offers states considering adopting recreational/adult-use programs The Medical Cannabis Equity Checklist, a list of policy considerations they can include in such efforts to better serve the needs of patients.

As a medical cannabis patient and advocate I want to see the legislature take advantage of this resource provided by ASA and work with patients to improve laws in 2023.

Concerned but Hopeful, 

Jane Smith

 

  • LTE For States with Medical Cannabis Program and Adult Use Laws 

Colorado’s Medical Cannabis Program is Failing Patients 

On February 3, 2023, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) unveiled their annual report, “2022 State of the States Report: An Analysis of Medical Cannabis Access in the United States.” The report evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access.

Colorado received a C+ and was penalized for prioritizing the adult-use market over the medical cannabis patients. Addressing CO legislators directly the report says:

“In 2021, Colorado legislators and Governor Polis presided over the single worst rollback of medical cannabis and patient rights that ASA has ever witnessed in this country. These rollbacks included giving operators the ability to re-designate medical products in their inventory for adult use/recreational sale, inflating program-related fees for patients, forcing patients through additional rounds of physician certification… in order to best serve medical cannabis patients, state legislators make it a top priority to repeal the rollbacks that have damaged the medical program…Colorado should also focus on passing provisions included in ASA’s Medical Cannabis Equity Checklist found in this report.”

As a medical cannabis patient and advocate I agree with the findings in this report and want to see the legislature immediately repeal the rollbacks from last session and pass policy measures found in ASA’s Medical Cannabis Equity Checklist in 2023. Today, over 1/3 of Americans are turning to cannabis and cannabinoids to treat chronic pain and curb opioid use resulting in fewer opioid deaths, Colorado should make access easier for patients not harder!

Disappointed,

Jane Smith 

 

  • LTE for States with CBD only or No Medical Cannabis Laws

Nebraska is Failing Patients, the Legislature Needs to Step in now!

On February 3, 2023, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) unveiled their annual report, “2022 State of the States Report: An Analysis of Medical Cannabis Access in the United States.” The report evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access.

For the 14th year in a row, Nebraska received a failing grade!

Across the U.S., 6 million Americans are using medical cannabis as a stand-alone or as an adjunct treatment to relieve symptoms or side effects experienced from other treatment methods. In many cases, patients, and their medical professionals report that cannabis and cannabinoids work where all traditional options have failed. Today over 1/3 of Americans are turning to cannabis and cannabinoids to treat chronic pain and curb opioid use resulting in fewer opioid deaths in states where medical cannabis is available.

What is the Nebraska legislature waiting for?

In the back of the report, you will find a Medical Cannabis Program Model Legislation. As a medical cannabis patient and advocate, I want to see the legislature take advantage of this resource provided by ASA and work with patients to pass a comprehensive medical cannabis program law in 2023.

Frustrated but hopeful,

Jane Smith

 

Submit

We have compiled links to the largest papers Op-ed and Letters to the Editor submissions. If you don’t see your local paper listed, you can simply search for “how to submit a letter to the editor NAME OF PUBLICATION” or “how to submit an Opinion piece to NAME OF PUBLICATION”. If there are no instructions on their website for submission, you can reach out to the Editor or the Opinion Editor and ask them how to submit.

Keep in touch!
Send ASA an email to let them know it has been published. Include a link! Send email to: [email protected].

Spread the word!
Please pass this action along to your friends and family
Post your LTE to social media after it is published and tag ASA