ASA California Weekly Alert: 02-20-09

Weekly Round Up
1. 2009 Medical Marijuana Week Recap
2. Palm Springs Votes to Allow Dispensaries
3. Laguna Beach Passes Dispensary Moratorium

Take Action
4. Go back and Participate in ASA's MMJ Week Actions!

Chapter and Affiliate Meetings
5. Saturday, February 21st – Los Angeles: L.A. ASA Meeting
6. Tuesday, February 24th - San Francisco: SF ASA Meeting
7. Wednesday, February 25th - Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting

Court Support
8. Monday, February 23rd - Los Angeles: Protest to Support Charles Lynch Against Federal Injustice

Special Events
9. Saturday February 21st - Los Angeles: LA-ASA Meeting & Activist Training
10. Sunday February 22nd - Oakland: East Bay Medical Cannabis Activists Mixer
11. Wednesday, March 11th - Riverside County AIDS Conference to Include Medical Cannabis Panel

Weekly Round Up

1. 2009 Medical Marijuana Week Recap

Medical cannabis activists across the country have been participating in this year's "Medical Marijuana Week 2009", which has included a week long series of events and actions designed to get people to participate, become active advocates, and to learn and think more about what issues, prejudices, and exciting medical breakthroughs surround the cannabis plant and are as yet still unaddressed.

In the past week, activists in California took part in events that included legal trainings, film screenings, public seed plantings, art shows, and festivals, as well as charity events that raised awareness and benefited homeless communities.  All the way across the country in our nation's capital, activists from Maryland ASA chapters held candle light vigils, educational medical cannabis teach-ins, and a party to celebrate the hard work their chapters have done to introduce legislation in the Maryland state legislature.

On the activism side, ASA has been sending actions to our national list all week, encouraging people to stand up and get active in ways they might normally wouldn't.  Actions this week included officially joining up with ASA through a membership or signing up for the Ambassador program, spending a day reading and learning about the history or new science of cannabis, recruiting others, meeting with elected officials, and connecting with medical cannabis POW's.  We've received great feedback and lots of participation from our membership - so thanks to all of you who took part in the actions of the past week!  Keep it up!   This has been a great way to bring attention to medical cannabis with a week of actions that have helped to rejuvenate our community  of activists.   It's been a great week and I can't wait until 2010!

2. Palm Springs Votes to Allow Dispensaries

This week the City Council members of Palm Springs voted to make it the first city in Riverside County to allow medical cannabis dispensing collectives.  The decision by the Council was intended to improve access of medical cannabis and keep local residents from having to resort to the illicit market for their treatment.  Activists have long been pressuring Palm Springs and other parts of Riverside County to allow dispensing collectives, and the 3-1 vote in favor demonstrates the fruits of that labor.

The ordinance will go into effect in 30 days following its second reading, and allows two dispensing collectives to operate within city limits.  According to Councilmember Ginny Foat, "This is an incredible first step."

Dispensary regulations have been a growing trend in California, as cities and counties work to address the needs of the medical cannabis patients in their communities, and as California state law has become increasingly clear about the legality of the dispensing collectives, as evidenced most recently in guidelines released by California Attorney General Jerry Brown.  In addition, research has indicated that dispensing collectives can not only improve the safety of communities, but can also lead to greater health outcomes of patients who are members.

3. Laguna Beach Passes Dispensary Moratorium

Unfortunately, not all municipalities are moving in the same direction with regard to dispensary regulations.  While Palm Springs became the first city in Riverside County to allow dispensing collectives, the City Council of Laguna Beach voted to implement a moratorium,  putting the halt on a dispensary that had been set to open in the city's downtown area.

The 45-day moratorium was established at least in part because Councilors claimed to require more time to consider how the permit process would move forward and for them to consider their "regulatory options".   Some cities have passed moratoriums in order to buy themselves time to draft ordinances, but others have used the moratoriums as a means to stall and postpone dealing with the issue, before ultimately passing bans altogether.   This was a concern of local advocates.

Laguna Beach residents who spoke out in defense of the dispensing collective cited personal stories of loved ones with severe illness and their need for safe access to  their medication,  as opposed to driving to "illegal set-ups", as one resident put it.    

January/February 2009

This issue…

• Did you Know…?
• Join LEAP's Rapid Response Team
• LEAP Speakers: Education, Advocacy, Action
• State by State
• Make the LEAP

Did You Know…?

Did you know that LEAP's official YouTube channel was the #1 most-subscribed non-profit featured on YouTube for the month of January?  Halfway through the month, we're ranked #3 for February… so if haven't already visited LEAP on YouTube, please check out the videos we've posted and make sure to click "subscribe" so you can be notified whenever we upload a new video.   

Elsewhere on the web, LEAP speaker Norm Stamper has become a featured blogger for The Huffington Post.  On February 6, Norm's article 'One Cop To Another: Don't Arrest Phelps for Bong Photo' was the #1 most-viewed article on the entire HuffPost site.  In addition to the attention his blog has received, many media outlets are anxious to speak with Norm and hear his insight into President Obama's likely choice for drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, who was Norm's immediate successor as Seattle's chief of police.  And make sure to stay up late tonight (or set your DVR) to catch Norm on the Fox News Channel's "Red Eye."  The show airs at 3 AM EST, Friday morning, Feb. 20.

By making a contribution, you can help LEAP gain visibility and make this a #1 issue in your community.

Join LEAP's Rapid Response Team

One thing that LEAP prides itself on is our ability to inspire and engage citizen volunteers; our cops can't do everything themselves!  That's why LEAP is launching an all-new Rapid Response Team of people who will make themselves available to receive e-mail alerts every few days asking for a few minutes of time to help advance reform.  For example, we may ask you to help build our movement for change by submitting comments on high-profile newspaper websites and blog posts, calling in to popular radio shows that are discussing the drug war, or voting in online polls asking about reform. 

If you would like to join the Rapid Response Team, please click here.  The list will be totally separate from our normal newsletter and action alert list, and you can remove yourself at any time if you feel you're getting too many e-mails.

LEAP Speakers: Education, Advocacy, Action

Contributed by Barbara Humphrey, Speakers Bureau Assistant

From rotaries to college campuses, Lions clubs to the halls of Congress, LEAP speakers are spreading the drug policy reform message, and it is making a difference.    An important role of the Speakers Bureau staff is to capture feedback from LEAP speaking engagements, allowing us to measure the impact of our efforts.  In addition to finding out how many people attended presentations, we also strive to go beyond the numbers to determine the impact of the presentation on those present and to solicit ideas for how to improve the effectiveness of these presentations.  The following are examples of the kind of feedback provided to LEAP following speaker presentations. 

In January, veteran speaker Dean Becker addressed a Texas Lion's Club audience of 130+, including three sitting judges, municipal law enforcement officers, and a State elected representative.    What an incredible opportunity to affect change!  

One of LEAP's newer speakers, Neill Franklin, spoke to supporters of the Tuerk House, a Timonium, Maryland drug/alcohol center, in early February.  The host was appreciative that Neill was able to generate a lively discussion following his presentation, a good indication of how well the talk was received.   The next day, Neill spoke to 20 faculty members and students at the University of Maryland College of Law.  The students were so impressed with the presentation that they have suggested a school-wide forum on the subject, while the faculty host described Neill as "awesome." 

In California, Judge James Gray spoke to more than 30 students at UCLA in February.  The school's host described the presentation as inspiring, and she was aware of a number of students whose minds had changed that night as a result of Judge Gray's talk. 

LEAP's Executive Director, Jack Cole, is also one of LEAP's most effective speakers.   Jack made a presentation to a group of 30 Rotarians in Massachusetts recently.  The club's host commented that "Jack made a real hit!  His presentation was great and I'm sure a lot were converted."  

The feedback from LEAP speaking engagements point to the important impact these speakers are making in the communities where they live and visit.  They inspire us all to keep booking, keep talking, and keep following up.

State By State

El Paso, Texas was at the forefront of the drug war debate in January. When El Paso's city council unanimously voted to call for an open debate on ending drug prohibition, the mayor vetoed the resolution.  The city council responded by calling for an override of the veto, and LEAP speaker Terry Nelson attended the meeting to give testimony before the council.  Unfortunately, the mayor's veto was upheld; four of the eight council members who originally supported the resolution reversed their votes under significant federal pressure that threatened state and federal funding.  If you haven't already done so, please visit www.DrugWarDebate.com to ask YOUR state and federal representatives to support a blue ribbon commission reviewing the efficacy of drug prohibition. 

Make The LEAP

As drug prohibition-related issues like the Michael Phelps drug investigation, the imminent nomination of a new drug czar, and the El Paso City Council's efforts continue to make the news, LEAP's voice needs to be heard now more than ever.  LEAP is committed to keeping the debate on war on drugs at the forefront until the day drug prohibition ends.  Please support LEAP's efforts by making a tax-deductible contribution to ensure that our mission of education on the failures of drug prohibition can reach its fullest potential.

ASA California Weekly Alert: 2-13-2009

Weekly Round Up
1. Advocates Meet with LA City Council Member to Contest Proposed Ordinance
2. Coachella Moratorium Set to Expire, Council Draws Plans for Dispensary Ban

Chapter and Affiliate Meetings
3. Tuesday, February 17th – Sacramento: ASA Affiliate Compassionate Coalition
4. Wednesday, February 18th – Fullerton: Orange County ASA Meeting
5. Saturday, February 21st – Los Angeles: L.A. ASA Meeting

6. Tuesday, February 24th - San Francisco: SF ASA Meeting
7. Wednesday, February 25th - Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting

City and County Hearings
8. Wednesday, February 18th - Palm Springs: City Council to Consider Dispensary Ordinance

Court Support
9. Monday, February 23rd - Los Angeles: Protest to Support Charles Lynch Against Federal Injustice

Special Events
10. Saturday February 14th - San Francisco: Spread the Love Valentine Seed Planting
11. Saturday February 14th - Sebastopol: Valentine’s Day Heart Party!
12. Saturday February 14th - Sacramento: Gardening, Work day & BBQ at the Freedom House in Sacramento
13. Saturday February 14th - Berkeley : Natural Remedies Health Services Presents:
14. Sunday February 15th - San Francisco: Celebrating the History of 215: with Denis Peron featuring an unreleased documentary & local Medical Cannabis films.
15. Monday February 16th - Sacramento: Medical Marijuana Art show & Informational Nights.
16. Tuesday February 17th - Berkeley: Book signing and talk with Doug McVay author of Drug War Facts at BPG
17. Tuesday February 17th - San Francisco: CCA Party!
18. Tuesday, February 17th San Diego: San Diego Protest  Against Local Raids!  “A walk towards freedom”
19. Wednesday February 18th - Oakland: Medical Marijuana University 6pm-9pm
20. Thursday February 19th - Oakland: ASA Organizers Training and Open House
21. Friday February 20th - Oakland: Movie Night at Oaksterdam Student Union
22. Saturday February 21st - Los Angeles: LA-ASA Meeting & Activist Training
23. Sunday February 22nd - Oakland: East Bay Medical Cannabis Activists Mixer
24. Wednesday, March 11th - Riverside County AIDS Conference to Include Medical Cannabis Panel

Weekly Round Up

1. Advocates Meet with LA City Council Member to Contest Proposed Ordinance

The Los Angeles City Attorney issued a revised version of the proposed ordinance regulating medical cannabis dispensing collectives this week. However, the newest version of the draft ordinance changed little from the one published just hours before January's Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) meeting, to which there was community opposition. 


Patients and advocates who served on the city's working group and other community members joined LA Councilmember Dennis Zine in rejecting the City Attorney's draft and calling on the committee to request a new ordinance incorporating the working group's input.  Many provisions in the draft ordinance are problematic, including those which ban edibles and concentrates (both legal under California law), require disclosure of patient data, and seek to exclude storefront collectives from locating within the city with requirements more stringent than those applied to liquor stores or strip clubs, and despite being recognized as legal by California Attorney General Jerry Brown.  In addition, the City Attorney's draft ordinance is based on faulty assumptions about medical cannabis law and patients' associations.

The City Attorney insists that sales of medical cannabis and storefront facilities that provide it on behalf of legal patients' collectives and cooperatives are illegal. As a result of this outdated and incorrect opinion, the City Attorney developed a draft ordinance that seeks to regulate the collective cultivation of medical cannabis, instead of the storefront facilities from which medicine is provided.   In August of 2008, the California Attorney General published guidelines that make it clear that patient collectives and cooperatives are legal. Section IV(C)(1) of the Guidelines specifically recognizes that legal collectives and cooperatives may maintain storefronts to provide medicine to members.
 
Dozens of cities and counties in California have already adopted guidelines regulating storefront facilities, and none have seen negative legal consequences as a result of exercising their right and responsibility to enact sensible regulations. In fact, research and experience shows that jurisdictions that adopt regulations have fewer complaints and less crime surrounding facilities. 

Advocates met with LA City Councilmember Ed Reyes and city staff to discuss the City Attorney's draft. As Chairman of the PLUM Committee, Reyes will have a tremendous impact on whether the committee forwards the flawed ordinance to the full City Council or sends it back to staff for more work. Councilmember Reyes made no decision based on the meeting, but promised to confer with city staff before the issue comes back to the Committee later this month.  Community members must continue to let Councilmembers Reyes and Huizar on the PLUM Committee know that we do not support the City Attorney¹s draft ordinance! There is as yet no commitment that the committee will reject this unworkable ordinance.