[ASA Field]

*Weekly Roundup*

1) Appellate Court Ruling on Searches, DEA Raid in Morro Bay & Lakeport
Bans MMJ Cultivation

*ASA Chapter & Affiliate Meetings*

2) Tuesday, April 3rd, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting
3) Thursday, April 5th, Lakeport: Lake County ASA Meeting
4) Thursday, April 5th, San Mateo: San Mateo ASA Meeting
5) Thursday, April 5th, Santa Rosa: Sonoma ASA Meeting
6) Saturday, April 7th, Modesto: Central Valley Patients Coalition Meeting
7) Tuesday, April 10th, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting
8) Tuesday, April 10th, San Diego: San Diego ASA Meeting
9) Sunday, April 15th, Birds Landing: Solano Patients' Group Meeting

*City & County Hearings*

10) Monday, April 2nd, Willits: Public Hearing on Medical Marijuana
Cultivation Ordinance
11) Tuesday, April 3rd, Salinas: City Council to Hear Staff Report on
Dispensaries

*Court Support*

12) Monday, April 9th, Fresno: Thunder Rector Trial Begins
13) Friday, April 13th, San Francisco: Status Hearing for Ed Rosenthal

*Special Events

*14) Saturday, March 31st, Santa Barbara: Medical Cannabis Activist Town
Hall

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*Weekly Roundup*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
/
/* 1) Appellate Court Ruling on Searches, DEA Raid in Morro Bay &
Lakeport Bans MMJ Cultivation*

/Legal analysis of People v. Strasburg (Cal. App. 2007) by ASA Chief
Counsel Joe Elford

/On March 22, 2007, the California Court of Appeal for the First
Appellate District issued a published decision in /People v. Strasburg/,
holding that the Compassionate Use Act does not provide immunity from an
otherwise justifiable search, such as when an officer smells marijuana.
In its words, "[a]n officer with probable cause to search is not
prevented from doing so by someone presenting a medical marijuana card
or a marijuana prescription." This decision flies in the face of /People
v. Mower/, wherein the California Supreme Court held that probable cause
depends on all of the facts and circumstances, including one's status as
a qualified patient. Americans for Safe Access will seek to have the
California Supreme Court review the case or order it de-published.

/DEA Raids Medical Cannabis Dispensary in Morro Bay/

Today, the DEA and the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department raided
Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay and the home of the
operator in Arroyo Grande. No one was arrested, but several employees
were detained.

For more information, read the San Luis Obispo Tribune article
<http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/16994930.htm> on today's
raid.

/
City of Lakeport Bans All Medical Marijuana Cultivation/

On March 6, 2007, the City of Lakeport adopted a ban on all medical
marijuana cultivation, deeming it to be "unlawful and a public
nuisance." The ordinance explicitly states that it is "intended to
prohibit the cultivation of marijuana deemed medicinal under the
California Health and Safety Code." This municipal ordinance, the first
of its kind banning all cultivation, both indoors and outdoors, is
clearly illegal and ASA fully intends to take legal action against the
City of Lakeport.

This ban sparked the start of a new ASA chapter in Lake County. Read
below for information on the first meeting of Lake County ASA.

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*ASA Chapter Meetings*
------------------------------------------------------------------------

*2) Tuesday, April 3rd, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting*

The Sacramento ASA chapter has moved to a new site and date. Please join
Sac ASA to plan for the future of safe access locally, statewide, and
nationally!

7:00 p.m.

Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Avenue, Suite H
Sacramento, CA

For more information or to get involved, please contact Lanette:
cannacare@earthlink.net

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*
3) Thursday, April 5th, Lakeport: Lake County ASA Meeting*

Lakeport City Council has created local crises for medical cannabis
patients and their caregivers. The Medical Cannabis Cultivation Ban
which will become effective April 6, 2007 will in many cases prevent
hundreds of seriously ill patients from access to the only effective
medicine now available to them to prevent pain and suffering.



Lakeport and Lake County Medical Cannabis Patients and Caregivers must
unite in a nonviolent resistance to the war on Medical Cannabis in
Lakeport. Join with others to organize a Local Chapter of Americans for
Safe Access (ASA). Meeting will be held at *Cafe Victoria, 301 N Main St
in Lakeport on April 5, 2007 at 6:00 pm.* Open menu will be available.

For more information or to get involved, please contact Donna:
LakeCoASA@msn.com

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*4) Thursday, April 5th, San Mateo: San Mateo ASA Meeting*

A new chapter of ASA has been formed in San Mateo. Please join them for
their first public meeting to discuss dispensary regulations, law
enforcement issues, protecting patient and collective growers, and
establishing an emergency response plan. Get active locally to protect
safe access!

DATE: April 5, 2007
TIME: 7:30-8:30
PLACE: PCRC, 164 South Blvd. San Mateo, CA
Finger foods, desserts, coffee, tea, water

For more information or to get involved, please contact Brent:
brent_saupe@yahoo.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*5) Thursday, April 5th, Santa Rosa: Sonoma ASA Meeting

*When: Thursday from 5pm-7pm
Where: Department of Public Health, 625 5th Street (at Mendocino Avenue)
in Santa Rosa

Please join Sonoma's chapter of American's for Safe Access. Patients,
supporters, caregivers and friends are
welcome to come share their opinions on what should happen locally,
statewide, and nationally. More info 707-332-6556

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*6) Saturday, April 7th, Modesto: Central Valley Patients Coalition Meeting

*Please join central valley patients and supporters to help plan and
strategize for the defense of patients rights in Stanislaus County,
Merced County, and beyond! The CVPC meets on the first Saturday of each
month, at 11:00 AM. New Location: These meetings will now be held at
1733 Yosemite Ave, Modesto, CA, 95350. For additional information,
contact Shirley Cox, Public Relations Officer for the Central Valley
Patients Coalition: shirley@CompassionateCoalition.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*7) Tuesday, April 10th, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting*

Join SF ASA to discuss and plan for local, state and national issues.
Get active locally to protect safe access!

7:00 p.m.
CA Marijuana Party Bookstore
223a 9th St. @ Howard in San Francisco

------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
8) Tuesday, April 10th, San Diego: San Diego ASA Meeting*

Our San Diego chapter of ASA has been busy lately and needs you to get
involved. It is time to get involved and protect safe access!

For more info about the chapter, please visit their site:
http://sdasa.4mg.com/index.html

Twiggs Coffee House
4590 Park Blvd.
In the Green Room
7:00-8:00 p.m.

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*9) Sunday, April 15th, Birds Landing: Solano Patients' Group Meeting*

The SPG is working with medical marijuana patients and activists
throughout California to defend patients' rights.

3:00 p.m. @ 2145 Collinsville Road in Birds Landing
For more info, call (707) 635-3752

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*City & County Hearings*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
10) Monday, April 2nd, Willits: Public Hearing on Medical Marijuana
Cultivation Ordinance*

From The Willits News:

A public hearing on draft revisions of the Willits marijuana
cultivation ordinance is scheduled at 5 p.m. April 2 (2007) in
Willits City Council chambers.

The Willits Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee invites members of the public
to appear and present comments on the proposed ordinance change at
that time. Written comments are also encouraged and must be received
at the Willits Community Development Department prior to the
scheduled meeting.

Copies of the draft revision are available at the Willits Community
Development Department, 111 East Commercial Street. Office hours are
Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The proposed changes are associated with marijuana cultivation in
greenhouse structures not subject to the Uniform Commercial Code,
adding requirements for carbon filtering of certain ventilation and
changes to the enforcement section of the ordinance.

Please attend this public hearing to speak out on behalf of safe access!

5:00 p.m.
Willits City Council Chambers
111 East Commercial Street
Willits, CA

------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
11) Tuesday, April 3rd, Salinas: City Council to Hear Staff Report on
Dispensaries*

On March 6th, the Salinas City Council voted to place a moratorium on
dispensaries. At the April 3rd meeting, city staff will present a report
to the council on dispensaries.

This is our opportunity to be heard before the council decides whether
to ban or regulate dispensaries. Please attend this hearing and speak
out for safe access!

Download ASA talking points
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?list=type&type=212> on dispensary
regulations, moratoriums and bans.

5:00 p.m.
200 Lincoln Avenue
Salinas, CA

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*Court Support*
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*12) Monday, April 9th, Fresno: Thunder Rector Trial Begins*

Trial before Oliver W. Wanger in U.S. District Court, 2500 Tulare
Street, Fresno, CA. Modesto patient and caregiver Thunder Rector was
arrested on July 18, 2005, as a result of a raid by the Stanislaus
County Sheriff earlier in July. Allegedly, the Sheriff confiscated 49
plants and 235 pounds of marijuana and handed it over to the feds.
Rector is now being prosecuted on federal charges of conspiracy and
manufacturing marijuana with intent to distribute. Rector and his wife
had been providing medical marijuana to patients at the San Francisco
Dispensary the Divinity Tree. Rector is released on bail pending trial.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
13) Friday, April 13th, San Francisco: Status Hearing for Ed Rosenthal*

Status hearing at 11am before Judge Charles Breyer in U.S. District
Court, 450 Golden Gate, San Francisco, CA. In October 2006, superseding
indictments were filed against medical marijuana author and cultivator
Ed Rosenthal and Rick Watts (though his felony charges were later
dismissed). In addition to being prosecuted on prior charges, stemming
from the first indictments, they also face money laundering and tax
evasion charges (which were later severed from the other charges).
Rosenthal and Watts were arrested in February 2002 after the DEA raided
the Harm Reduction Center in San Francisco. Due to not being able to
assert a medical (Raich) defense, Rosenthal was convicted in January
2003 (Watts was unable to stand trial due to injuries sustained from an
auto accident). After outrage expressed by jurors and supporters alike,
U.S. District Court Charles Breyer sentenced Rosenthal on June 3, 2003
to one day in prison. Rosenthal later got his conviction overturned
based on jury misconduct. The federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
then remanded the case back to district court, where the government is
currently retrying Rosenthal. In February 2007, ASA filed a motion to
dismiss based on vindictive prosecution, and on March 14, 2007, in an
unusual ruling, Judge Breyer found that there was at least the
appearance of vindictiveness on the part of the federal government, and
dismissed the tax and money laundering charges against Rosenthal.

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*Special Events
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
14) Saturday, March 31st, Santa Barbara: Medical Cannabis Activist Town
Hall*

Please join Steph Sherer, ASA's Executive Director for a Santa Barbara
Activist Town Hall on March 31st from 3-6 pm. This event will be a an
opportunity for the community to come together while Steph walks
everyone through a strategic planning session to create next steps for
Santa Barbara city and county implementation of Prop 215 And SB 420.
This will include defining problems in the community, as well as
determining goals and creating campaigns to tackle these problems and
achieve community goals.

Steph Sherer will also give a brief update from ASA about national and
state campaigns, including details about ASA's recent federal lawsuit.

Who: Santa Barbara Medical Cannabis Community and ASA's Executive Director
What: Santa Barbara Activist Town Hall
When: March, 31 2007 from 3PM- 6 PM
Where: El Paseo Restaurant 10 El Paseo, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
<http://www.google.com/maps?q=10+El+Paseo,+Santa+Barbara,+CA+93101&sa=X&o i=map&ct=title>
Why: Because these laws aren't going to implement themselves

For more info contact Mark: (805) 722-2203

*** If you plan to attend (even if you're not sure), please RSVP by
sending an email to ***
*** Rebecca@SafeAccessNow.org ***

[Clones2Grow]

The link to the san diego site http://sdasa.4mg.com/index.html doesn't seem to work. May I suggest RECALL Bill Horn and Bonnie Dumanis for abuse of power, discrimination, etc. They need to feel my pain!

Cool post. Lets get a ASA chapter in the South Bay/San Jose area. How can the biggest city in the Bay Area not have any ASA represention, no club and be so non medical friendly?

[ASA Field]

Originally Posted by highst

Cool post. Lets get a ASA chapter in the South Bay/San Jose area. How can the biggest city in the Bay Area not have any ASA represention, no club and be so non medical friendly?

PM me if you're interested in starting a San Jose chapter. You might also want to check out the new San Mateo ASA chapter - their first meeting is tomorrow night! You can check out the details above...

When I started working at ASA 2 years ago, there were only 3 chapters - San Francisco, Sonoma, and San Diego! Now we have chapters in Orange County, Los Angeles, Tulare, Santa Barbara, San Mateo, East Bay, Sacramento, and Lake County! So if you're asking why there's no chapter in your area, stop asking, and get one started. It's easier than you think.

Damn I missed your reply in time to make that meeting. Sorry I cant PM you, I dont have enough posts yet. I will try to PM you ASAP or you can PM me ( I can receive, just not send) w/ a secondary e-mail and I can get back to you. thanks_highst

[ASA Field]

Originally Posted by highst

Damn I missed your reply in time to make that meeting. Sorry I cant PM you, I dont have enough posts yet. I will try to PM you ASAP or you can PM me ( I can receive, just not send) w/ a secondary e-mail and I can get back to you. thanks_highst

Can't PM you, but there will be more meetings to attend. My email address is as public as it can be so I don't have a problem posting it here: rebecca@safeaccessnow.org