[ASA Field]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASA California Weekly Alert: March 14, 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. Santa Cruz Joins the State ID Card Program
b. Cloverdale Limits Access for Patients

*Take Action*
2. California's Legislature is on Recess: Meet with Your Legislator for
Better Medical Marijuana Laws

*Chapter and Affiliate Meetings*
3. Saturday, March 15, Los Angeles: LA ASA Meeting
4. ***Rescheduled: Monday, March 17, Sacramento: ASA Affiliate
Compassionate Coalition Meeting***
5. Thursday, March 20, Arcata: Humboldt County ASA Meeting
6. Tuesday, March 25, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting
7. Wednesday, March 26, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting

*City and County Hearings*
8. Tuesday, March 18, Sacramento: Board of Supervisors Hearing to Vote
to Implement State Medical Cannabis ID Card Program

*Court Support*
9. Monday, March 17, San Francisco: Federal Hearing for Eddy Lepp *
10. Wednesday, March 19, Sacramento: Evidentiary Hearing for Jeffre
Sanderson and Alice Wiegand *
11. ***Rescheduled Again: Wednesday, March 19, Sacramento: Sentencing
Evidentiary Hearing for Dr. Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer****
12. Wednesday, March 26, Oakland: General Appearance for Tainted Inc.
Employees* *

*Special Events*
13. Friday and Saturday, April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth
National Conference

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weekly Round Up
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. a. Santa Cruz Joins the State ID Card Program
b. Cloverdale Limits Access for Patients

a. Santa Cruz Joins the State ID Card Program

This week, Santa Cruz County announced their plans to implement the
California state medical cannabis ID card program. Santa Cruz County
has had their own version of a medical cannabis ID card program for over
5 years, leaving patients at risk to have a negative law enforcement
encounter outside of Santa Cruz County limits. Implementing the state ID
card program has the potential to help reduce the risk of a negative law
enforcement encounter when traveling throughout California. One of the
draw backs for Santa Cruz patients, however, is the increase in cost
associated with the state ID card.

Santa Cruz County joins thirty-six other counties in implementing the
medical cannabis ID card program. The ID card program's momentum has
reached several of California's counties, including Sacramento, which
will be holding a hearing to discuss implementing the medical cannabis
state ID card program on Monday. (See below for details.) Read the
Sacramento Bee editorial <http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/769554.html>
about the debate over implementing the medical cannabis ID card program
in Sacramento.
Read more about Santa Cruz's ID card implementation in the Santa Cruz
Sentinel <http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_8543907>.

b. Cloverdale Limits Access for Patients

Wednesday the Cloverdale City Council voted to severely limit patient
access by banning both medical cannabis dispensaries and outdoor
cultivation. The city council voted 4-0 to tentatively ban both outdoor
cultivation and dispensaries. If the council's decision becomes
permanent, Cloverdale will become the fifth city in Sonoma County to
limit patients' access to medicine by banning dispensaries. The
council's decision also impacts patients' lives because it leaves
patients to have to travel distances to find medicine or forces them to
cultivate their own medicine indoors. Many patients do not have the
resources to travel long distances and/or cultivate medicine.
Read more about Cloverdale's attack on safe access in the Press Democrat
<http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080228/NEWS/802280403>.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take Action
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. California's Legislature is on Recess: Meet with Your Legislator for
Better Medical Marijuana Laws

This week, the California legislature began its Spring Recess and
lawmakers are heading back to their home districts. This presents a
great opportunity for you to meet with your state legislators and talk
to them about medical marijuana access.

Americans for Safe Access can protect patients' rights by pushing these
bills forward if people like you take the time to meet with your local
representatives when they are in town next week.

Please e-mail ASA's California Director, Don Duncan, at
Don@SafeAccessNow.org <mailto:Don@SafeAccessNow.org> or call (510)
251-1856 so that he can help you to set up an appointment with your
state Assemblymember and/or Senator. It is important that you coordinate
the meeting through ASA so we can ensure that the most important targets
meet face-to-face with their constituents. Please let Don know of any
special connection you have to the issue, including if you're a patient,
a provider, or a medical professional and don't forget to include
information on the city or town you reside in so ASA can easily match
you up to your legislative district.

As reported in past alerts, ASA is sponsoring its first piece of
legislation, which would protect a patients' right to work. We are also
working with the Marijuana Policy Project and other allies to pass three
additional pieces of legislation that would improve safe access in
California. Please read more about these below or at
www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/CA2008Bills
<http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/CA2008Bills>.

*AB 2279: Medical Cannabis Employment Non-Discrimination
<http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/AB2279>
(Assemblymember Mark Leno; Co-Authors Patty Berg, Loni Hancock, and Lori
Saldaña)
This bill will ensure a medical cannabis patient's right to work and end
employment discrimination against patients.

*SB 1098: Dispensary Sales Tax Facilitation
<http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/SB1098> (Senator Carole Migden)
This bill would encourage compliance with California sales tax laws and
protect access to medicine by forgiving back sales tax prior to October
1, 2005.

*SJR 20: Ending DEA Raids on Patients and Providers
<http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/SJR20> (Senator Carole Migden)
This Senate Joint Resolution calls for an end to DEA attacks on
California's medical cannabis patients and providers and further calls
on the President and Congress to enact federal legislation to end the
raids.

*AB 2743: Law Enforcement Non-Cooperation
<http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/AB2743> (Assemblymember Lori Saldaña)
This bill would prohibit local and state law enforcement from
cooperating with the federal government in enforcement actions against
medical cannabis patients and/or providers.


The only way we can move forward is if people like you meet with your
legislators!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter and Affiliate Meetings
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Saturday, March 15, Los Angeles: LA ASA Meeting

Don't miss this very special meeting. We will be discussing nonviolent
Civil Disobedience in our efforts to resist the continuing escalation of
DEA interference and intimidation against medical cannabis patients and
providers in LA with two very special guests: Dr. Terry Grand, a
co-founder of the pioneering HIV/AIDS advocacy organization ACT UP and
Rebecca Saltzman, ASA's Chief of Staff.
What: LA-ASA Meeting
When: 1 PM * Saturday, February 15, 2008
Where: Patient ID Center, 470 S. San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
90048-4107.
(The cross street is Drexel, between Wilshire & 3rd St.)

For more information contact Don@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. ***Rescheduled: Monday, March 17, Sacramento: ASA Affiliate
Compassionate Coalition Meeting***

We will be meeting on Monday, March 17th, to prepare for the Board of
Supervisors meeting the following day. Please come out and join us as
we prepare for this important meeting.

When: Tuesday the 4th at 7:00pm
Where: Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Ave. Suite H in Sacramento

For more information contact: nathan@CompassionateCoalition.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Thursday, March 20, Arcata: Humboldt County ASA Meeting

Come join Humboldt County ASA as we fight to protect safe access!
Patients, supporters, and advocates are welcome.

When: 6:00pm
Where: Community recreation room of the Bayview Courtyard Senior Housing
Complex
550 Union Street, Arcata.

For more information contact: ASA-Humboldt@sbcglobal.net

------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Tuesday, March 25, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting

Join SF ASA on March 25. We will discuss the latest in medical cannabis
politics, laws, science and activism. Also, we will be planning for the
6th annual Highway 420 party and other exciting upcoming events!

When: 7:30-9:00pm
Where: Bowers Pizza on 11th street in SF

For more information, contact: aaaFranco@yahoo.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Wednesday, March 26, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting

Join the East Bay ASA Chapter as we continue to fight for safe access in
California. We are excited to have California Director, Don Duncan,
joining us at our East Bay meeting to give us the latest updates on
California's campaigns. We will be also discussing upcoming court
dates, recap on the civil disobedience training, and national updates.
When: 7:00pm
Where: ASA Headquarters
1322 Webster St. Suite 402 (just 2 blocks from 12th St. BART!)
Oakland, CA

For more information contact: Rebecca@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
City and County Hearings
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Tuesday, March 18, Sacramento: Board of Supervisors Hearing to Vote
to Implement State Medical Cannabis ID Card Program
From Aaron Smith

On Tuesday, March 18, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will be
deciding whether or not to make the state's medical marijuana ID cards
available to local patients and caregivers.

If you are a Sacramento County resident, please make time to attend the
board's hearing on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., so that we can ensure a large
showing of support for California's medical marijuana law and seriously
ill patients in Sacramento County.

Board of Supervisors meeting details:

When: Tuesday, March 18 -- 3:00 p.m.
Where: County Administration Center
700 H St. (at 7th St.), Room 1450
Sacramento, CA 95814
Map: http://snipurl.com/21lpb

(This is a professional meeting; please dress and act accordingly.)

If you would like guidance on speaking before the Board of Supervisors
during their hearing on the 18th, feel free to join us for our
preparation meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday evening at the Crusaders'
Hall at 320 Harris Ave. #G, Sacramento, CA 95838
( Map: http://snipurl.com/21lpb )

For more information, contact Aaron Smith at (866) 287-6792 or
asmith@mpp.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Court Support
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to Vanessa Nelson for helping ASA stay on top of upcoming
court dates!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Monday, March 17, San Francisco: Federal Hearing for Eddy Lepp

*Eddy Lepp is scheduled for a hearing in front of federal Judge Marilyn
Hall Patel on Monday. As Vanessa Nelson reports, "the judge is expected
to rule on nearly a year's worth of evidentiary hearings and motions at
that time, regarding claims of 6th Amendment violations, the validity of
warrantless search and seizure in open fields, and much more. It could
be the end of the case, or the beginning of the countdown to trial. My
latest story on the case is from earlier this month, and describes the
most recent evidentiary hearing, which focused on government misconduct
in the sting operation on Eddy." Read more about Mr. Lepp's case in
Vanessa Nelson's article
<http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/view/186/1/>.

When: Monday, the 17th at 10:00am
Where: Before Judge Marilyn Hall Patel
450 Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco, CA.

For more information contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Wednesday, March 19, Sacramento: Evidentiary Hearing for Jeffre
Sanderson and Alice Wiegand

On August 14, 2006, a local-federal task force arrested Plumas County
patients Jeff Sanderson (who also served as a caregiver for nine other
patients and did not accept any "reasonable compensation") & Alice
Wiegand in a raid for allegedly growing more than 260 plants. Though
they were released from Plumas County jail within several days, on
September 5, 2006, Sanderson was rearrested by federal agents and is
being prosecuted on federal charges of *manufacturing and conspiracy to
manufacture more than 100 marijuana plants. Authorities confiscated all
of the plants and medicine, and have initiated asset forfeiture
proceedings on their home and family farm. Sanderson is currently being
detained in Sacramento County Main Jail awaiting sentencing and both he
and Wiegand have agreed to accept plea bargains. Sadly, Plumas County
CPS has removed both of their young children and placed them with
Sanderson's mother, and the parents must now submit to a long case-plan
process in the hopes of someday regaining physical custody.
Additionally, as a part of the plea bargain, Sanderson and Wiegand's
house will be seized as a result of asset forfeiture. At the Sentencing
hearing, it is likely that the U.S. Attorney will request a sentence of
24-36 months for Sanderson, although hopefully, Judge Damrell will
impose lesser sanctions, as Sanderson and Wiegand pled guilty to charges
involving less than a hundred plants, so no mandatory minimum sentence
applies. Please join us in supporting Sanderson & Wiegand in court, to
demonstrate to Judge Damrell that they are part of our community. For
more information on this tragic story, please see Vanessa Nelson's piece
<http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/view/180/59/>.

When: Wednesday, March 19th at 9:00pm*
Where: Judge Frank C. Damrell, Jr. in U.S. District Court (E.D., CA)
<http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&newFL=Use+Address+Below&ad dr=501+I+Street%2C+&csz=sacramento%2C+ca&country=u s&Get%A0Map=Get+Map>,
15th Floor at 501 "I" Street in Sacramento.

For more information contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
***11. Rescheduled Again: Wednesday, March 19, Sacramento: Sentencing
Hearing for Dr. Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer***

On September 28, 2001, DEA raided the Cool, California (El Dorado
County) clinic of medical marijuana physician and breast cancer patient
Mollie Fry and her husband, attorney Dale Schafer, and seized patient
records. Almost immediately after the Raich decision, on June 22, 2005,
Fry and Schafer were arrested and indicted for marijuana found on the
premises during the raid. In 2002, the federal government also
successfully revoked Fry's DEA license to practice medicine, but Dr. Fry
remains a licensed physician in the state of CA. Trial began on August
1, 2007, with Jeffrey Lichter appearing for Fry, and Tony Serra
representing Schafer. Sadly, later that August, Fry and Schafer were
convicted. For more information, see www.docfry.como, see *this page
<http://www.docfry.com>.

When: Wednesday, March 19th at 2:00pm*
Where: Judge Frank C. Damrell, Jr. in U.S. District Court (E.D., CA)
<http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&newFL=Use+Address+Below&ad dr=501+I+Street%2C+&csz=sacramento%2C+ca&country=u s&Get%A0Map=Get+Map>,
15th Floor at 501 "I" Street in Sacramento.

For more information contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

*This date is subject to change. Please call the courthouse ahead of
time to confirm the date and time at (916) 930-4000.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Wednesday, March 26, Oakland: General Appearance for Tainted Inc.
Employees *

Please come out and show your support for the four former Tainted Inc.
employees. On September 26, 2007, the DEA raided five locations in
Oakland and San Leandro, allegedly confiscating hundreds of edibles and
460 plants, and arresting Jessica Sanders (30), Michael Anderson (42),
and Diallo McLinn (35). After a press conference on October 4, Michael
Martin (33), who had been on vacation during the raid, voluntarily
turned himself in. All four are charged with conspiracy to manufacture
or distribute controlled substances and are out on bail. Tainted Edibles
were available for patients as an alternative to smoking at dispensing
collectives across the state.

When: Mar 26, 2008 from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Where: 1301 Clay St., Oakland CA (Judge Wilken's
Courtroom)
For more information contact: freetainted@yahoo.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Events
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*13. Friday and Saturday, 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 Patient 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.

[squatter420]

Just keeping things in proper order.

[flylightly]

I live 20 minutes south of cloverdale. I can't believe they had a 4-0 vote against it. If I hadn't been so busy with school I would have gone and supported. We need to get sonoma county on the band wagon.

[ASA Field]

Originally Posted by flylightly

I live 20 minutes south of cloverdale. I can't believe they had a 4-0 vote against it. If I hadn't been so busy with school I would have gone and supported. We need to get sonoma county on the band wagon.

More than a dozen advocates did testify at the hearing, but the council didn't budge :(