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ASA Field · 01-25-2008, 05:32 PM

ASA California Weekly Alert: January 25, 2008
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*Make Sure We Stay On Top of It:* If you wish to have a medical cannabis event, meeting, federal trial, and/or city or county hearing listed in the ASA CA Weekly Alert, please send information to Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org no later than Thursdays by 3:00pm.
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*Weekly Round Up
*1. a. California Court Rules Against Patients' Rights- Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA Respond with Legislation
b. San Francisco Democratic Committee Calls on Mayor Newsom to Take a Stand*
*

*Take Action
*2. Share Your Story-Write a Testimonial**
*
Chapter and Affiliate Meetings*
3. Tuesday, January 29, Sacramento: ASA Affiliate Compassionate Coalition Meeting
4. Tuesday, February 5, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting
5. Tuesday, February 5, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting*
*6. Thursday, February 7, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County ASA Meeting

*City and County Hearings**
*7. Tuesday, January 29, Martinez: Contra Costa County Planning Commission to Vote on Dispensary Ban

*Special Events*
8 Saturday, January 26, Sonoma: Special Screening of /Waiting to Inhale/
9. Friday, February 15, Oakland: Patients' Testimonials Video and Photo Shoot
10. Save the Date: April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth National Conference

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Weekly Round Up Special --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. a. California Court Rules Against Patients' Rights- Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA Respond with Legislation
b. San Francisco Democratic Committee Calls on Mayor Newsom to Take a Stand
a. California Court Rules Against Patients' Rights- Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA Respond with Legislation

This week, the California Supreme Court delivered a major blow to patients' civil rights. On Thursday, the California Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 215 does not protect legal patients from being fired if they test positive for medical cannabis use. In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court claimed that Ross could not rely on the Fair Housing and Employment Act or the state's medical marijuana law to prevent discrimination at the workplace. Gary Ross, a 45-year old disabled veteran and a medical marijuana patient, was fired in 2001 by his then-employer Raging Wire Telecommunications after he disclosed that he was a medical cannabis patient and would test positive to the company's mandatory drug test. Following this event, Ross filed a lawsuit arguing that Raging Wire illegally discriminated against him because of his condition. However, a Sacramento Superior Court, and then the Third Appellate District Court both rejected his argument. In October 2005, ASA appealed to the California Supreme Court on behalf of Ross. The California Supreme Court's decision on Thursday was a major blow to medical marijuana patients' rights, with the potential to limit a patients' right to work. ASA's Chief Counsel, Joe Elford, played a significant role in Mr. Ross' case, helping write the appeal and serving as co-counsel to Mr. Ross starting in 2005. For more information on the Ross case read Mr. Elford's blog on the case and the California Supreme Court Decision at: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/RossDecisionBlog>

The good news is that California Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA were waiting to respond in case of an adverse ruling like this. Assemblyman Leno announced only hours after the decision on Thursday that he will be introducing an ASA-sponsored piece of legislation that will amend California law to protect patients from this kind of discrimination. In his press release <http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/leno_ross_release.pdf>, Assemblyman Leno wrote, "Today's California Supreme Court ruling strikes a serious blow to patients' rights. In the coming weeks I will introduce legislation that secures a medical cannabis patient's right to use their doctor recommended medication outside the workplace. Through the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996 and SB 420 in 2004, the people of California did not intend that patients be unemployed in order to use medical marijuana." Assemblyman Leno's legislation will accomplish what the California Supreme Court's decision has diminished. This bill will properly protect legal medical cannabis patients and ensure their right to work.

Read Assemblyman Leno's press release about this important piece of legislation: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/downloads/leno_ross_release.pdf>
For background on the Ross vs. Raging Wire case visit: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/Ross>
Read the California Supreme Court's decision at: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/downloads/Ross_Ruling.pdf>

b. San Francisco Democratic Committee Calls on Mayor Newsom to Take a Stand
From San Francisco ASA Core Leader, Alex Franco

In a huge step forward for the Stand Up Newsom Campaign and patients in San Francisco, the San Francisco Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee passed a resolution with the following amendment:

"...that Mayor Gavin Newsom, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and San Francisco’s State legislators join with Oakland Mayor and former Congressman Ron Dellums in denouncing the DEA tactics surrounding the property rights of landlords who rent to medical cannabis dispensaries."

At Wednesday night's San Francisco Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee meeting, party Vice Chair and San Francisco Marijuana Offenses Oversight Committee co-chair, Michael Goldstein, seeing the ineffectiveness of the resolution as presented proffered an amendment requesting Mayor Gavin Newsom to join Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums in condemning the DEA's recent tactics of intimidating property owners who rent to medical cannabis dispensaries. Upon hearing the loud applause from the public in attendance, committee member Robert Haaland was moved to ask to join Vice Chair Michael Goldstein's amendment by adding language that included the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and San Francisco's elected state officials. This added strength to a position of support already voiced to advocates by many of the Board members, and Senator Carole Migden who is currently moving legislation supporting medical cannabis dispensary owners and their landlords through the state legislature. San Francisco Assembly member Mark Leno has also voiced support of safe access of patients to their medication.

Activists from Axis of Love SF, the Harvey Milk Club and Americans for Safe Access San Francisco spoke on behalf of the resolution. Some activists who were called minutes before the meeting rushed to the site and were able to demonstrate their support through their presence.

The committee showed it understood the issue by first supporting the amendment, then by passing the entire resolution that included the amended language. Both votes were nearly unanimous with the exception of one abstention by Senator Diane Feinstein. Feinstein's proxy, George Broder, explained his vote by noting he was unable to vote without passing it by the Senator.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is the official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House of Representatives. The DCCC is the only political committee in the country whose principal mission is to support Democratic House candidates every step of the way through this critical election year. Congratulations to ASA and the activists involved in getting this resolution passed.

For more information about the DCCC's decision and to find out how you can get involved, contact Alex at: aaaFranco@yahoo.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take Action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*2. Share Your Story- Write a Testimonial*

Join the wave of patients, providers, researchers, and medical professionals who are coming out of the closet to talk about medical marijuana. We are calling on patients, medical professionals, researchers, patients' loved ones, and other supporters to share how medical cannabis has impacted your life.

Please send a short testimonial explaining how medical cannabis has affected you and/or your loved ones to ASA's Field Coordinator, Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard. Let us know if you would like us to share your story. You can send a letter, e-mail, or even a video of your story.
If you are a medical cannabis patient who has relied on ingesting medical cannabis through edibles, please consider mentioning this in your testimonial to help support edible manufacturers, Tainted Inc., who were raided in late 2007. Read Tainted Inc. operator, Michael Martin's request for testimonials here: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=785

Also, if you live in the Bay Area, please join us for a special testimonial video and photo shoot on February 15th at ASA's headquarters in Oakland. Scroll down to the Special Events section to read more about this exciting project and how you can get involved!

Please send your testimonial to:
Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard
1322 Webster St. Suite 402
Oakland CA 94612
Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter and Affiliate Meetings --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*3. Tuesday, January 29, Sacramento: ASA Affiliate Compassionate Coalition Meeting*

Please join Compassionate Coalition as we discuss our current upcoming campaigns and pressing campaigns to ensure safe access.

When: Tuesday the 29th at 7:00pm
Where: Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Ave. Suite H in Sacramento

For more information, contact: Nathan@CompassionateCoalition.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*4. Tuesday, February 5, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting

There are several medical marijuana activities over the next month. Please come and find out how you can get involved. We will be discussing Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, upcoming campaigns, reaching out to condition-based groups and many more events on the horizon.

When: Tuesday the 5th at 7:00pm
Where: Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Ave. Suite H in Sacramento

For more information, contact Lanette at: cannacare@earthlink.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*5. Tuesday, February 5, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting

Join San Francisco ASA at a special Medical Marijuana Awareness preparation meeting. If you wish to be involved in the SF ASA Medical Marijuana Week events please join us for this important meeting.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30pm*
*Where: Bowzer's Pizza, 371 11th St in San Francisco

For more info, contact Alex: aaafranco@yahoo.com <mailto:aaafranco@yahoo.com>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*6. Thursday, February 7, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County ASA Meeting

Please join us at our monthly Sonoma county ASA meeting. This month, we will be preparing for our meeting to discuss the Santa Rosa regulations and our Medical Marijuana Awareness Week activities.

Please come out and support safe access in our community!

When: Thursday, the 7th, 5:00-7:00pm
Where: South City View Room
Department of Public Health
625 5th St., Santa Rosa, CA (Between Humboldt and Mendocino)

For more info, contact: asasonomaco@aol.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City and County Hearings --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Tuesday, January 29, Martinez: Contra Costa County Planning Commission to Vote on Dispensary Ban

The Contra Costa Planning Commission is holding a special session to vote on a potential dispensary ban in the unincorporated areas of the county. If the planning commission votes in favor of the ban, it will be up for a full vote by the County Board of Supervisors. Please come out and show your support for safe access!

When: January 29th, at 7:00pm
Where: Room 107 in the Administration Building
651 Pine St. in Martinez, CA

Download ASA talking points <http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2717> on dispensary regulations, moratoriums and bans.

If you live in the Bay Area, East Bay ASA is organizing a caravan up to the hearing. Please contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org if you are interested in driving and/or attending.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Events --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Saturday, January 26, Sonoma: Special Screening of Waiting to Inhale

The movie is the first documentary film to investigate the controversy over the legalization of cannabis as a medicine in the United States. This powerful film features leading experts and researchers from all over the world on both sides of the controversy over the therapeutic potential of marijuana. In the United States, while many states have passed laws with medical marijuana provisions, its use, cultivation and possession - for any reason - remain illegal under federal law.

The award winning film does not serve as propaganda for one opinion or another, but focuses instead on the real stories and struggles of people on opposite ends of this provocative spectrum. Above all, Waiting to Inhale opens our eyes to the unique world of individuals enmeshed in a conflict whose stakes are nothing short of life and death.

Where: Sonoma County Woman's Club
574 First St. E., Sonoma, CA 95476

When: Saturday, January 26, 5:00 p.m.

Tickets: $10 general
$8 seniors (62+) and students

Following the film join us for a lively discussion with filmmaker Jed Riffe, MS Patient Yvonne Westbrook White, and Sonoma County advocates for medical marijuana.

For more information on Waiting to Inhale: <http://www.waitingtoinhale.org>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Friday, February 15, Oakland: Patients' Testimonials Video and Photo Shoot

Calling All Patients in the Bay Area!
Are you a medical marijuana patient? Are you willing to share your story with the world? Are you interested in being the new face of ASA and having your picture on our website? If so, please join Americans for Safe Access at our headquarters in Oakland on February 15, during Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, for our YouTube video testimonials and photo shoot day. On Feb.15 we are asking patients willing to share their story on camera to come in and film a short 1-3 minute video testimonial to be posted on YouTube and ASA's website to help educate the world about medical marijuana and why people need safe access.

If you would rather do a written testimonial and have your picture on the website, please come in and join us that day for a photo shoot. The video and photo shoot will take place at ASA headquarters on February 15th, 11:00am-7:00pm.
In order to participate in this event, we need you to sign up for a time slot. To sign up, RSVP to Josie@AmericansforSafeAccess.org or call (510) 251-1856. Time slots are going to be fillied on a first come first serve basis so sign-up today! We will also need you to sign a release when you come to the shoot to allow ASA to share your story.

Please join us for a fun and important day of filming and photo shoot!

When: Friday, February 15th, 11:00am-7:00pm
Where: ASA Headquarters
1322 Webster St., Suite 402
Oakland, CA
How: RSVP to Josie@AmericansforSafeAccess.org or call (510) 251-1856 to sign up for a time slot!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Save the Date: April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth National Conference
Question: Have you registered for the Patients Out of Time national conference yet? If not, please register today <http://www.MedicalCannabis.com/registration>!
Save the date for the Fifth National Patients Out of Time conference for April 4th and 5th. For more information and to register visit www.MedicalCannabis.com/registration <http://www.MedicalCannabis.com>

The Patients Out of Time Conference will feature patients, activists, doctors, and researchers gathering to discuss the latest research on medical marijuana. This important conference only happens once every other year, so if you are a patient, doctor, researcher, and/or supporter, we strongly encourage you to look into attending the conference, which will be held at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula.

**Ingrid_SwissMeds** · 01-26-2008, 08:10 PM

That is extremely troubling that this case has been lost to the CA supreme court. It is completely discriminatory to fire someone based on how they medicate. Its an antiquated bias based on the stigmas of "POT".

I am really looking forward to the legislation that Mark Leno will introduce in response. Patients need to be protected under California State Law.

01-25-2008, 05:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
ASA Field WT Regular Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oakland, CA Co-Op: Non Vendor: no Patient: yes Posts: 1,044 Rep Power: 370	ASA CA Weekly Alert 1/25/08 ASA California Weekly Alert: January 25, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Make Sure We Stay On Top of It: If you wish to have a medical cannabis event, meeting, federal trial, and/or city or county hearing listed in the ASA CA Weekly Alert, please send information to Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org no later than Thursdays by 3:00pm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly Round Up 1. a. California Court Rules Against Patients' Rights- Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA Respond with Legislation b. San Francisco Democratic Committee Calls on Mayor Newsom to Take a Stand* * Take Action 2. Share Your Story-Write a Testimonial** * Chapter and Affiliate Meetings* 3. Tuesday, January 29, Sacramento: ASA Affiliate Compassionate Coalition Meeting 4. Tuesday, February 5, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting 5. Tuesday, February 5, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting* 6. Thursday, February 7, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County ASA Meeting City and County Hearings** 7. Tuesday, January 29, Martinez: Contra Costa County Planning Commission to Vote on Dispensary Ban Special Events* 8 Saturday, January 26, Sonoma: Special Screening of /Waiting to Inhale/ 9. Friday, February 15, Oakland: Patients' Testimonials Video and Photo Shoot 10. Save the Date: April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth National Conference -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly Round Up Special -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. a. California Court Rules Against Patients' Rights- Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA Respond with Legislation b. San Francisco Democratic Committee Calls on Mayor Newsom to Take a Stand a. California Court Rules Against Patients' Rights- Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA Respond with Legislation This week, the California Supreme Court delivered a major blow to patients' civil rights. On Thursday, the California Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 215 does not protect legal patients from being fired if they test positive for medical cannabis use. In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court claimed that Ross could not rely on the Fair Housing and Employment Act or the state's medical marijuana law to prevent discrimination at the workplace. Gary Ross, a 45-year old disabled veteran and a medical marijuana patient, was fired in 2001 by his then-employer Raging Wire Telecommunications after he disclosed that he was a medical cannabis patient and would test positive to the company's mandatory drug test. Following this event, Ross filed a lawsuit arguing that Raging Wire illegally discriminated against him because of his condition. However, a Sacramento Superior Court, and then the Third Appellate District Court both rejected his argument. In October 2005, ASA appealed to the California Supreme Court on behalf of Ross. The California Supreme Court's decision on Thursday was a major blow to medical marijuana patients' rights, with the potential to limit a patients' right to work. ASA's Chief Counsel, Joe Elford, played a significant role in Mr. Ross' case, helping write the appeal and serving as co-counsel to Mr. Ross starting in 2005. For more information on the Ross case read Mr. Elford's blog on the case and the California Supreme Court Decision at: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/RossDecisionBlog> The good news is that California Assemblyman Mark Leno and ASA were waiting to respond in case of an adverse ruling like this. Assemblyman Leno announced only hours after the decision on Thursday that he will be introducing an ASA-sponsored piece of legislation that will amend California law to protect patients from this kind of discrimination. In his press release <http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/leno_ross_release.pdf>, Assemblyman Leno wrote, "Today's California Supreme Court ruling strikes a serious blow to patients' rights. In the coming weeks I will introduce legislation that secures a medical cannabis patient's right to use their doctor recommended medication outside the workplace. Through the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996 and SB 420 in 2004, the people of California did not intend that patients be unemployed in order to use medical marijuana." Assemblyman Leno's legislation will accomplish what the California Supreme Court's decision has diminished. This bill will properly protect legal medical cannabis patients and ensure their right to work. Read Assemblyman Leno's press release about this important piece of legislation: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/downloads/leno_ross_release.pdf> For background on the Ross vs. Raging Wire case visit: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/Ross> Read the California Supreme Court's decision at: <http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/downloads/Ross_Ruling.pdf> b. San Francisco Democratic Committee Calls on Mayor Newsom to Take a Stand From San Francisco ASA Core Leader, Alex Franco In a huge step forward for the Stand Up Newsom Campaign and patients in San Francisco, the San Francisco Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee passed a resolution with the following amendment: "...that Mayor Gavin Newsom, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and San Francisco’s State legislators join with Oakland Mayor and former Congressman Ron Dellums in denouncing the DEA tactics surrounding the property rights of landlords who rent to medical cannabis dispensaries." At Wednesday night's San Francisco Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee meeting, party Vice Chair and San Francisco Marijuana Offenses Oversight Committee co-chair, Michael Goldstein, seeing the ineffectiveness of the resolution as presented proffered an amendment requesting Mayor Gavin Newsom to join Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums in condemning the DEA's recent tactics of intimidating property owners who rent to medical cannabis dispensaries. Upon hearing the loud applause from the public in attendance, committee member Robert Haaland was moved to ask to join Vice Chair Michael Goldstein's amendment by adding language that included the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and San Francisco's elected state officials. This added strength to a position of support already voiced to advocates by many of the Board members, and Senator Carole Migden who is currently moving legislation supporting medical cannabis dispensary owners and their landlords through the state legislature. San Francisco Assembly member Mark Leno has also voiced support of safe access of patients to their medication. Activists from Axis of Love SF, the Harvey Milk Club and Americans for Safe Access San Francisco spoke on behalf of the resolution. Some activists who were called minutes before the meeting rushed to the site and were able to demonstrate their support through their presence. The committee showed it understood the issue by first supporting the amendment, then by passing the entire resolution that included the amended language. Both votes were nearly unanimous with the exception of one abstention by Senator Diane Feinstein. Feinstein's proxy, George Broder, explained his vote by noting he was unable to vote without passing it by the Senator. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is the official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House of Representatives. The DCCC is the only political committee in the country whose principal mission is to support Democratic House candidates every step of the way through this critical election year. Congratulations to ASA and the activists involved in getting this resolution passed. For more information about the DCCC's decision and to find out how you can get involved, contact Alex at: aaaFranco@yahoo.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Share Your Story- Write a Testimonial Join the wave of patients, providers, researchers, and medical professionals who are coming out of the closet to talk about medical marijuana. We are calling on patients, medical professionals, researchers, patients' loved ones, and other supporters to share how medical cannabis has impacted your life. Please send a short testimonial explaining how medical cannabis has affected you and/or your loved ones to ASA's Field Coordinator, Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard. Let us know if you would like us to share your story. You can send a letter, e-mail, or even a video of your story. If you are a medical cannabis patient who has relied on ingesting medical cannabis through edibles, please consider mentioning this in your testimonial to help support edible manufacturers, Tainted Inc., who were raided in late 2007. Read Tainted Inc. operator, Michael Martin's request for testimonials here: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=785 Also, if you live in the Bay Area, please join us for a special testimonial video and photo shoot on February 15th at ASA's headquarters in Oakland. Scroll down to the Special Events section to read more about this exciting project and how you can get involved! Please send your testimonial to: Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard 1322 Webster St. Suite 402 Oakland CA 94612 Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter and Affiliate Meetings -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Tuesday, January 29, Sacramento: ASA Affiliate Compassionate Coalition Meeting Please join Compassionate Coalition as we discuss our current upcoming campaigns and pressing campaigns to ensure safe access. When: Tuesday the 29th at 7:00pm Where: Crusaders Hall 320 Harris Ave. Suite H in Sacramento For more information, contact: Nathan@CompassionateCoalition.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Tuesday, February 5, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting There are several medical marijuana activities over the next month. Please come and find out how you can get involved. We will be discussing Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, upcoming campaigns, reaching out to condition-based groups and many more events on the horizon. When: Tuesday the 5th at 7:00pm Where: Crusaders Hall 320 Harris Ave. Suite H in Sacramento For more information, contact Lanette at: cannacare@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Tuesday, February 5, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting Join San Francisco ASA at a special Medical Marijuana Awareness preparation meeting. If you wish to be involved in the SF ASA Medical Marijuana Week events please join us for this important meeting. When: Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30pm* Where: Bowzer's Pizza, 371 11th St in San Francisco For more info, contact Alex: aaafranco@yahoo.com <mailto:aaafranco@yahoo.com> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Thursday, February 7, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County ASA Meeting Please join us at our monthly Sonoma county ASA meeting. This month, we will be preparing for our meeting to discuss the Santa Rosa regulations and our Medical Marijuana Awareness Week activities. Please come out and support safe access in our community! When: Thursday, the 7th, 5:00-7:00pm Where: South City View Room Department of Public Health 625 5th St., Santa Rosa, CA (Between Humboldt and Mendocino) For more info, contact: asasonomaco@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- City and County Hearings -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Tuesday, January 29, Martinez: Contra Costa County Planning Commission to Vote on Dispensary Ban The Contra Costa Planning Commission is holding a special session to vote on a potential dispensary ban in the unincorporated areas of the county. If the planning commission votes in favor of the ban, it will be up for a full vote by the County Board of Supervisors. Please come out and show your support for safe access! When: January 29th, at 7:00pm Where: Room 107 in the Administration Building 651 Pine St. in Martinez, CA Download ASA talking points <http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2717> on dispensary regulations, moratoriums and bans. If you live in the Bay Area, East Bay ASA is organizing a caravan up to the hearing. Please contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org if you are interested in driving and/or attending. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Events -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Saturday, January 26, Sonoma: Special Screening of Waiting to Inhale The movie is the first documentary film to investigate the controversy over the legalization of cannabis as a medicine in the United States. This powerful film features leading experts and researchers from all over the world on both sides of the controversy over the therapeutic potential of marijuana. In the United States, while many states have passed laws with medical marijuana provisions, its use, cultivation and possession - for any reason - remain illegal under federal law. The award winning film does not serve as propaganda for one opinion or another, but focuses instead on the real stories and struggles of people on opposite ends of this provocative spectrum. Above all, Waiting to Inhale opens our eyes to the unique world of individuals enmeshed in a conflict whose stakes are nothing short of life and death. Where: Sonoma County Woman's Club 574 First St. E., Sonoma, CA 95476 When: Saturday, January 26, 5:00 p.m. Tickets: $10 general $8 seniors (62+) and students Following the film join us for a lively discussion with filmmaker Jed Riffe, MS Patient Yvonne Westbrook White, and Sonoma County advocates for medical marijuana. For more information on Waiting to Inhale: <http://www.waitingtoinhale.org> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Friday, February 15, Oakland: Patients' Testimonials Video and Photo Shoot Calling All Patients in the Bay Area! Are you a medical marijuana patient? Are you willing to share your story with the world? Are you interested in being the new face of ASA and having your picture on our website? If so, please join Americans for Safe Access at our headquarters in Oakland on February 15, during Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, for our YouTube video testimonials and photo shoot day. On Feb.15 we are asking patients willing to share their story on camera to come in and film a short 1-3 minute video testimonial to be posted on YouTube and ASA's website to help educate the world about medical marijuana and why people need safe access. If you would rather do a written testimonial and have your picture on the website, please come in and join us that day for a photo shoot. The video and photo shoot will take place at ASA headquarters on February 15th, 11:00am-7:00pm. In order to participate in this event, we need you to sign up for a time slot. To sign up, RSVP to Josie@AmericansforSafeAccess.org or call (510) 251-1856. Time slots are going to be fillied on a first come first serve basis so sign-up today! We will also need you to sign a release when you come to the shoot to allow ASA to share your story. Please join us for a fun and important day of filming and photo shoot! When: Friday, February 15th, 11:00am-7:00pm Where: ASA Headquarters 1322 Webster St., Suite 402 Oakland, CA How: RSVP to Josie@AmericansforSafeAccess.org or call (510) 251-1856 to sign up for a time slot! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Save the Date: April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth National Conference Question: Have you registered for the Patients Out of Time national conference yet? If not, please register today <http://www.MedicalCannabis.com/registration>! Save the date for the Fifth National Patients Out of Time conference for April 4th and 5th. For more information and to register visit www.MedicalCannabis.com/registration <http://www.MedicalCannabis.com> The Patients Out of Time Conference will feature patients, activists, doctors, and researchers gathering to discuss the latest research on medical marijuana. This important conference only happens once every other year, so if you are a patient, doctor, researcher, and/or supporter, we strongly encourage you to look into attending the conference, which will be held at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula. ASA Field says..Support ASA's work to promote safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. Become a member today! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

01-26-2008, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ingrid_SwissMeds Hi, Im New! Join Date: Apr 2007 Co-Op: no Vendor: YES Patient: yes Posts: 37 Rep Power: 1318	Re: ASA CA Weekly Alert 1/25/08 That is extremely troubling that this case has been lost to the CA supreme court. It is completely discriminatory to fire someone based on how they medicate. Its an antiquated bias based on the stigmas of "POT". I am really looking forward to the legislation that Mark Leno will introduce in response. Patients need to be protected under California State Law.

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