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Americans for Safe Access: CA Weekly Alert

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 â 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.  Â
The LEAP Report: January/February 2009
January/February 2009
This issueâ¦
- 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.  Â
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.Â
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.Â
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! Â
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."Â
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.Â
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." Â
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.Â
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.
How are Women Affected by the War on Drugs??
Toronto Harm Reduction Task Force Speakers Series Presents Ethan Nadelmann
Press Advisory: Citizens Affected by World Drug Policies Question the UN
Kellogg's Stock Takes Big Hit After Phelps Bong Controversy
I'm no expert on the stock market, but this doesnât look good for Kellogg's:
Kellogg Co. Stock -- February 2009:

As the chart shows, the company's stock took an immediate dive following its decision to drop Michael Phelps over the infamous bong hit photo. What began as a coordinated boycott by drug reform organizations quickly escalated into a full-blown media frenzy as major news outlets picked up the story. Pot-friendly websites like Digg.com began directing massive traffic to news coverage that was critical of Kellogg's anti-marijuana posturing, thereby increasing the campaign's visibility among likely supporters.
The cumulative impact of all this negative publicity is helpfully illustrated by The Vanno Reputation Index, which monitors the public image of leading corporations:
Out of the 5,600 company reputations Vanno monitors, Kellogg ranked ninth before it booted Phelps. Now it's ranked 83. Not even an industry-wide peanut scare inflicted as much damage on the food company's reputation. [Business Insider]
In the current economic climate, it would be silly to think we're solely responsible for Kellogg's falling stock. Still, the Vanno data clearly shows that we've dealt a substantial blow to the company's reputation at the worst possible time. Whether or not we actually had a considerable impact on Kellogg's bottom line is beside the point. What matters is that we sent an unprecedented message to corporate America that reefer madness is bad for business.
For far too long now, the drug war has been sustained by a corporate culture that embraces anti-drug propaganda at every turn. Just as our press and politicians have struggled to come to terms with evolving public attitudes about drugs and drug policy, corporate America has remained enslaved by the tired mindset that a healthy public image is best secured through hardline anti-drug posturing.
The Phelps saga may soon be regarded as the moment when all of that changed, the unforeseeable, yet inevitable moment when the invisible hand of America's marijuana culture finally became a fist.
Update: Many have pointed out, and I agree, that Kellogg's falling stock is much better explained by the economy than the boycott. I thought I did a sufficient job of drawing this distinction in the post, but I can understand how the title and tone of the overall post might lead some to conclude otherwise. So for the record: the point of the post is not that the marijuana reform community crashed Kellogg's stock. I don't believe that to be true. The point is that our message gains much better traction at a moment like this. The last thing Kellogg's wants is a highly publicized boycott in the middle of an economic crisis.
I've been skeptical of previous boycott proposals that have circulated among reformers in the past, but this effort has been a massive success. In terms of media coverage and the subsequent slaughter of Kellogg's corporate reputation ranking, we couldn't have asked for a more visible impact than we've managed to achieve.
Just because Kellogg's hasn't formally surrendered to us somehow doesn't mean we didn't kick their ass. I'm sure they are utterly stunned by the backlash they received, and that's what matters.
Cops Going to Prison for Botched Drug Raid That Killed Elderly Woman
These officers crossed the often all-too-thin line that separates drug cops from common criminals, and they will pay for what they did, as well they should. We can only hope that today's outcome serves as a reminder to others in uniform who've forgotten what it means to protect and serve. Alas, this comment from the judge suggests that Atlanta's problems with rogue cops are far from solved:
A federal judge who sent three fallen cops to prison for a notorious drug raid that left an elderly woman dead said Tuesday that Atlanta Police Department performance quotas unduly influenced the officersâ behavior.
"It is my fervent hope the Atlanta Police Department will take to heart what has happened here," U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes said. At the close of an emotional two-day hearing, Carnes sentenced former officers Gregg Junnier, Jason R. Smith and Arthur Bruce Tesler to between 5 and 10 years in prison.
At the hearing, Teslerâs lawyer provided examples of other Atlanta police officers breaking the rules or violating the law and said a disturbing culture of misconduct pervades the force. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]
Thus, even in its finest hour, our justice system remains crippled by the enemy within. There is nothing unique about Atlanta's police culture that brought this tragedy to life. Everywhere the drug war is fought, you will find police who have become indifferent to the very laws they've sworn to uphold.
Presupuesto federal: Proyecto de estÃmulo económico también estimula lucha contra la droga
Policial: Las historias de policÃas corruptos de esta semana
Marihuana: Encuesta Zogby muestra apoyo mayoritario a tributación y regulación de la marihuana en la Costa Oeste de EE.UU. y aumenta apoyo en todo el paÃs
Reseña de la Crónica: "Dope Menace: The Sensational World of Drug Paperbacks, 1900-1975", de Stephen J. Gertz (2008, Feral House Press, 219 págs., US$ 24,95, en rústica)
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