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Medical Marijuana

Marijuana Policy Project: Are you planning to visit New York this spring?

[Courtesy of MPP] 

You’re invited to an exciting evening with the Marijuana Policy Project at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan on May 14.

MPP Medical Marijuana Benefit
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, New York City
Wednesday, May 14, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Please consider joining us for a night of comedy and music to celebrate MPP’s recent successes on the path to passing medical marijuana legislation in New York state (and other parts of the country).

The event will feature a performance by folk-rock band Nicole Atkins & The Sea, as well as special appearances by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Michelle Phillips and medical marijuana advocate Montel Williams. We’ll also honor Joel Peacock, a patient advocate from Buffalo who suffers from chronic pain resulting from a 2001 car accident.

Proceeds from the event will be used to change the law to remove criminal penalties for medical marijuana. If the New York bill passes in the next few months, New York would become the 13th medical marijuana state in the country.

Last year, the New York Assembly passed the bill by a 95-52 vote, marking the first time that such a bill has received a vote on the floor of either chamber of the New York Legislature. Plus, more than 1,000 doctors in New York have spoken out in support of medical marijuana, in addition to the Albany, Buffalo, and New York city councils and most medical organizations in the state.

The New York legislation is at the brink of victory — and the prospects for some of MPP’s other bills look good in California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Please join us and be a part of the tipping point that brings about these momentous changes!

Please don’t wait long to buy your tickets, since space is limited.

I look forward to seeing you on May 14 in New York City.

Sincerely,
Kampia signature (e-mail sized)
Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your ticket purchase today will be doubled.

Press Release: State Bill Protects Employment Rights of Medical Marijuana Patients

[Courtesy of Americans for Safe Access] For Immediate Release: February 21, 2008 Contact: ASA Media Liaison Kris Hermes (510) 681-6361 or ASA Chief of Staff Rebecca Saltzman (510) 251-1856 x308 State Bill Introduced Yesterday Protects Employment Rights of Medical Marijuana Patients AB 2279 would reverse the State Supreme Court in Ross v. Raging Wire Sacramento, CA -- Assemblymember Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and several co-authors introduced a bill yesterday that would protect the rights of hundreds of thousands of medical marijuana patients in California from employment discrimination. The bill leaves intact existing state law prohibiting medical marijuana consumption at the workplace and protects employers from liability by carving out an exception for safety-sensitive positions. The employment rights bill, which is being co-authored by Assemblymembers Patty Berg (D-Eureka), Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) and Lori Saldaña (D-San Diego), is in response to a January decision by the California Supreme Court in Ross v. RagingWire. National medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) argued the case before the court and is now a sponsor of the bill. "The California Supreme Court decision said that an employer may fire someone solely because they use medical marijuana outside the workplace," said Assemblymember Leno. "Long ago, the legislature prohibited patient use of medical cannabis in the workplace or during working hours," continued Leno. "AB 2279 is merely an affirmation of the intent of the voters and the legislature that medical marijuana patents need not be unemployed to benefit from their medicine." On January 24, in a 5-2 decision, the California Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling that denied qualified patients a remedy from employment discrimination, based either on their status as a patient or a positive test for marijuana. The plaintiff in the case, Gary Ross, is a 46-year old disabled veteran who was a systems engineer living Carmichael, California, when he was fired from his job in 2001 at RagingWire Telecommunications for testing positive for marijuana. "It's important that we not allow wholesale employment discrimination in California," said former plaintiff Gary Ross. "If the court is going to ignore the need for protection, then it's up to the legislature to ensure that productive workers like me are free from discrimination." The decision in Ross v. RagingWire closed the door on redress through the courts, shifting the debate to the state legislature. California is not alone in its attempt to affirm employment protections for medical marijuana patients. Both Oregon and Hawaii have introduced similar legislation aimed at clarifying the intent of the state legislatures. This recent multi-state effort builds on existing legislation adopted in ten out of twelve medical marijuana states, including California, which already sought to protect patients from employment discrimination. "We welcome and strongly endorse this clarification from the legislature," said ASA spokesperson Kris Hermes. "Despite the ill-conceived ruling by the California Supreme Court, the intent of state legislatures has been to recognize the civil rights of patients and to offer them reasonable protections." Before the court made its final decision, Ross enjoyed the support of ten state and national medical organizations, all of the original co-authors of the Medical Marijuana Program Act (SB 420), and disability rights groups. Since it began recording instances of employment discrimination in 2005, ASA has received hundreds of such reports from all across California. Employers that have either fired patients from their job, threatened them with termination, or denied them employment because of patient status or because of a positive test for marijuana, include Costco Wholesale, UPS, Foster Farms Dairy, DirecTV, the San Joaquin Courier, Power Auto Group, as well as several construction companies, hospitals, and various trade union employers. Further information: Employment rights legislation introduced yesterday: http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/AB2279.pdf California Supreme Court decision in Ross v. RagingWire: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/Ross_Ruling.pdf Review legal briefs and more about the Ross v. RagingWire case here: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/Ross # # #

Urge Your Legislator to Oppose DEA Medical Marijuana Raids -- Support SJR 20

[Courtesy of CA NORML] CAL: URGE YOUR LEGISLATOR TO OPPOSE DEA MEDICAL MARIJUANA RAIDS - SUPPORT SJR 20 See: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=10990366&type=ST&show_alert=1 California Senate Asks Feds to Cease Harassing Law Abiding Dispensaries! Urge Your Senator to Vote YES on SJR 20! NORML is pleased to announce that SJR 20, a resolution stating the Senate's opposition to the federal government's crackdown on local medical cannabis providers, has been introduced in the California State Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Health. This resolution would reinforce the Senate's opposition to the Drug Enforcement Administration's raids on medical marijuana facilities that pay sales tax and comply with California law. If passed, the California State Senate will forward copies of this resolution to the President, Vice-President, Speaker of the House, and all California representatives and senators, urging them to respect California law. Please take a moment and write your state senator today asking him or her to support SJR 20. If your senator sits on the Senate Committee on Health, then it is even more imperative that he or she hears from you. For your convenience, a prewritten letter will be sent to your state senator when you enter your zip code below. Click on: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=10990366&type=ST&show_alert=1 -- California NORML, 2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114 -(415) 563- 5858 - www.canorml.org, http://www.canorml.org/.

Just Say Know Weekly News: 2/15/08

[Courtesy of Just Say Know] Visit Our Web Site: If you’re using internet explorer web browser click this link: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/home If you’re using any other web browser click this link: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/index.html Please pass this message on to ALL your contacts in the USA and ask them to join our mailing list using the form on our web site. THANK YOU! We never share email addresses from our mailing list with anyone. Just Say Know works on your behalf toward drug policy reform, preserving and re-instating your legal rights. Drug policy and enforcement tactics are out of control and removing your rights at an alarming rate. Your financial contributions are greatly appreciated. To make a donation reply to this message with “donation” in the subject line and an associate will contact you. Thank you for your consideration. Don’t hesitate to contact us by replying to this message; we appreciate your comments, questions and concerns. Together we will make a difference! You are invited to attend the Marijuana Policy Project meeting, Saturday, February 16th, from 1:30 to 3 pm at 7405 Arlington Expressway, Jacksonville, Florida. More details are at the bottom of this message. No matter where you stand on drug policy we can all agree that there are better ways to deal with drugs without anyone having to die or be hurt. Our current drug policy, after over 70 years and over a trillion tax dollars spent has proven to be a failure and is doing far more harm than good. There has only been one successful anti-drug campaign, it targeted tobacco. Almost half of all smokers stopped using this highly addictive drug and no one went to jail or got hurt or killed. IT CAME ABOUT THROUGH EDUCATION NOT A WAR ON TOBACCO USERS. Tell your friends about the "Enough is Enough" petition to stop the reckless overuse of SWAT tactics and save the lives of civilians and police alike. This petition is sponsored by: StoptheDrugWar.org -- see http://ga0.org/campaign/enough_is_enough. Feature Story: Can you believe we have to argue with our government about making it legal for licensed physicians to recommend marijuana to seriously ill and in some cases dying patients? Our government is arresting, harming and sometimes killing people over using a drug that thousands of doctors and patients have testified is safe and effective. In some cases marijuana can take the place of FDA approved drugs that have serious side effects. Sometimes the FDA approved drugs even cause death. There has never been a death caused by a marijuana overdose, not one in all of history. It is one of the safest drugs known. It’s time to take action. You can begin by attending MPP’s medical marijuana meeting tomorrow 2-16-2008. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR OUR GOVERNMENT OUTLAWING MEDICINE RECOMMENDED TO PATIENTS BY A LICENSED PHYSICIAN. Why is the government so adamant about outlawing marijuana? It’s well known that marijuana was originally outlawed without a shred of evidence proving it harmed anyone or society. What’s the real story? Why all the hubbub? The research we’ve done points to corruption and greed. Be sure to read this article http://marijuana.drugwarrant.com/ . This amazing plant can produce over 50,000 products, reduce pollution, reduce deforestation, is more efficient as pulp for paper than trees, can be used to efficiently produce cleaner fuel than petroleum, natural gas or coal, can be used as food in a variety of ways that have no intoxicating effects, can produce almost anything made from cotton using significantly less toxic chemicals and producing superior product quality, the list goes on and on. We believe its illegal and being kept illegal to protect special interest groups that marijuana will compete with once its legal. Be sure to visit our web site and read “Marijuana Facts The Government Does Not Want You To Know” on the home page. If you’re using internet explorer web browser use this link: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/home If you’re using any other web browser use this link: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/index.html This country is still run by the people but if you sit around waiting on someone else, it may be your door that gets kicked in, it may be you that’s sick and gets shot by the government for using marijuana to relieve your pain, chemo reactions or other illness, it may be your children, money, livelihood or property that get taken away. Property is sometimes confiscated with no evidence and no legal recourse. Think this is a fairytale? Click here http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/snitch/readings/hidden.html . The truth is, the drug war is being used as an excuse to remove your rights and steal your property. We are by no means saying all politicians or police officers are guilty of this but there is a mountain of evidence supporting the need for policy reform that makes citizens, their family and their property more secure. One very good first step will be to take away the ability of criminals to profit from marijuana. How? Just like it was done with alcohol, remove the prohibition and regulate legal adult use. The drug war and its devastating effects on society must be stopped. Stand up, call, email, write letters or go see your elected representatives. Click here to locate and contact your congressional representatives https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml . The life you save may be your own or a loved one’s. Consider this, what would you do if you or someone you loved was sick or dying and a licensed physician said marijuana could help heal the condition or relieve the suffering? TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND POLICY REFORM. You can get a wealth of information about medical marijuana by visiting our web site and clicking “Web Links” in the site map. Learn what doctors are saying. Learn what conditions marijuana has shown to be beneficial in treating. If you’re using internet explorer web browser use this link: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/home If you’re using any other web browser use this link: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/index.html One of the most eye opening sources of information about why the drug war needs to end is a video produced by “LEAP” Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. If you haven’t seen it yet please take a few minutes and view it now. Here’s a link to the video: http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php?name=Content&pid=28

Thursday: Meet Your Medical Cannabis Match

[Courtesy of Americans for Safe Access]

Join ASA's Condition-based Union

Dear ASA Supporter,

Thus far this week ASA activists nationwide have joined the movement, met their Senators, and put their pens to paper. Today, on Valentine's Day, we are urging you to meet your medical cannabis match! We are calling on patients, family members, researchers and medical professionals to match up with ASA's condition-based unions!

Visit www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/Thursday to find out how you can sign up for ASA's condition-based unions.

Patients nationwide have joined together to form condition-based unions to further promote medical cannabis research and advocate for safe access to medical cannabis through the Medical Marijuana Union project. Plug into one of ASA’s growing network of patients, researchers, advocates, and medical professionals. Join a condition-based union today!

Over the past several months, ASA has been working to improve our services and access for the condition-based unions. Many of you have begun posting online in our condition-based forums, filled out the condition-based survey, which was released last summer, and viewed and given us great feedback on how we can further serve our unions.

In our constant effort to improve our services and strengthen the movement, ASA has designed a website specifically for seniors, which was launched in January. The Seniors' Union Website provides information about medical cannabis issues and aging. In the future, ASA intends to roll out similar websites for our other condition-based unions as well. You can check out the website at: www.MedicalMarijuanaandSeniors.org

If you are a current union member or are new to Americans for Safe Access, medical cannabis, and ASA’s condition-based unions, please help strengthen ASA’s unions by completing two easy tasks:

Ways to Meet Your Medical Cannabis Match:

1. Join a Condition-based Union today: Plug into ASA’s growing network of patients, researchers, advocates, and medical professionals.

2. Join the Movement: In the past day, hundreds of supporters have joined the movement by donating to ASA. There are thousands more of you who support ASA, but have not taken action yet. Please join the movement today. It only takes a couple minutes and will renew your commitment to the medical cannabis movement.

3. Spread the Word: Forward this message widely to friends, co-workers, and family to encourage them to join you in the national movement to protect safe access!

Sincerely,

Rebecca Saltzman
Chief of Staff
Americans for Safe Access

Wednesday: Put Pens to the Paper, Write a Letter to the Editor in Support of Research

[Courtesy of ASA]

Dear ASA Supporter,

This week, ASA called on you to "Join the Movement" and “Meet Your Senators.” Today, we are asking you to take your involvement to the next level by making your voice heard and putting your pens to the paper for medical cannabis research. Write a letter to the editor about medical cannabis to educate your community about the issues patients and doctors face every day.

 

Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper calling on your Senators to support access for FDA-approved medical marijuana research. FDA-approved research is key to safe access nationwide. Use the talking points provided as a guide, but please be sure to personalize your message. Editors do not appreciate receiving several of the same messages so be sure to make yours unique!

Please write a letter to the editor today about the importance of medical cannabis research and how your Senators can get involved. Read on for ways to take action.

Ways to Make Your Voice Heard:

1. Use ASA's LTE Action Page to write a letter to the editor about research: After clicking here you will be asked pick your state, then you can choose from newspapers in your area, and finally you will be taken to a page with talking points, but please personalize your letter. Editors do not appreciate receiving several of the same messages so be sure to make yours unique!

 

2. Join the Movement: In the past day, hundreds of supporters have joined the movement by donating to ASA. There are thousands more of you who support ASA, but have not taken action yet. Please join the movement today. It only takes a couple minutes and will renew your commitment to the medical cannabis movement.

3. Spread the Word: Forward this message widely to friends, co-workers, and family to encourage them to join you in the national movement to protect safe access!

 

Sincerely,

Kris Hermes
Media Specialist
Americans for Safe Access

Tuesday: Meet Your Senators! Drop in on their District Offices Today!

[Courtesy of ASA]

Dear ASA Supporter,

Celebrate Medical Marijuana Awareness Week by urging your U.S. Senators to support medical cannabis research! Today and tomorrow, hundreds of activists throughout the country are “dropping in” on their U.S. Senators’ district offices. Join your fellow activists as they seek out their U.S. Senators’ at their local district offices today to talk about supporting access for FDA-approved medical cannabis research. Urge your Senators to support medical marijuana research by signing-on to the letter Senators Kennedy and Kerry are circulating to enable FDA-approved research. Visit www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/MMJWeekTuesday to take action right away!

Background:
The federal government refuses to allow private researchers and scientists to conduct medical cannabis research using their own non-governmental materials, creating an obstruction for FDA-approved medical cannabis research. At the same time, the FDA and DEA claim there is not enough research to determine the medicinal values of marijuana. This hypocrisy and gridlock must end now!

Drop in on your U.S. Senators’ local district offices on today! Visit www.Senate.gov for contact information for your local district office.

When meeting with your Senators’ offices please bring with you the following materials, which are enclosed in this packet:

 


1. The Kennedy/Kerry letter of support
2. Research/Gridlock campaign fact sheet
3. University of MA’s letter of support

What to Ask:
Please support medical cannabis research by co-signing the Kennedy/Kerry letter to Acting DEA Administrator, Michele Leonhart, urging her agency to follow the recommendation of Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner and grant a license to Prof. Lyle Craker of UMass Amherst to grow marijuana exclusively for federally-approved research. To join the letter, contact Graham Shalgian in Senator Kennedy’s office at 617 565-3170.

Follow Up:
At your meeting or drop-in, be sure to schedule a follow up meeting to discuss other pressing national medical cannabis issues. After you take action, be sure to contact [email protected] to let us know how it went!

If you have questions about scheduling meetings with your senators’ offices, contact [email protected] or call (510) 251-1856 ext. 321

Sincerely,

Caren Woodson
Director, Government Affairs
Americans for Safe Access

Monday: Join the Movement, Become a Member of ASA Today!

[Courtesy of ASA]

Dear ASA Supporter,

Welcome to Medical Marijuana Week! Today, we're calling on you to "Join the Movement" by becoming a member of ASA. Donate today. Your voice needs to be heard, and we need your support to keep fighting for patients’ rights more than ever. Don’t wait any longer to get on board!

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works to overcome political and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, grassroots actions, advocacy and services for patients and their providers. ASA has over 40,000 active members with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states.

Medical cannabis patients and current Executive Director Steph Sherer founded ASA in 2002 in response to federal raids on patients in California. Since then, ASA has been instrumental in shaping the political and legal landscape of medical cannabis. Our successful lobbying, media, and legal campaigns led to positive court precedents, new sentencing standards, more compassionate legislative and administrative polices and procedures, as well as new legislation.

 

2007 Major Accomplishments

  • September 2007: Defeats Senate amendment that would have blocked implementation of state medical marijuana laws
  • April 2007: Co-sponsors the largest annual HIV/AIDS constituent-based federal advocacy and education event in the US, training hundreds of HIV/AIDS advocates to lobby for medical cannabis issues.
  • March 2007: Files successful vindictive prosecution motion in the federal case of Ed Rosenthal, leading to the dismissal of the majority of his charges.
  • February 2007: Files a lawsuit against the federal government demanding that the FDA and HHS stop spreading misinformation on medical cannabis and correct the information the have published.
  • January 2007: 500 patients and advocates rally outside the Los Angeles federal building, in protest of DEA raids.

Take action by joining ASA today!

  1. Donate to ASA: Take a moment right now to make a sustaining monthly pledge to defending safe access. Your monthly pledge of $10, $25, $50, or even $100 will let us know we have the resources to keep fighting for you!
  2. Spread the Word: Forward this message widely to friends, co-workers, and family to encourage them to join you in the national movement to protect safe access!

Sincerely,

Steph Sherer
Executive Director
Americans for Safe Access

Celebrate Medical Marijuana Awareness Week: February 11-17

[Courtesy of Americans for Safe Access]

Join the National Movement to Protect Safe Access!

Dear ASA Supporter,

To celebrate the growing support for medical cannabis and the spread of safe access in medical cannabis states throughout the nation, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has organized Medical Marijuana Week 2008 . This will be the sixth annual Medical Marijuana Week, held during the week of 2/15 to commemorate the passage of Proposition 215, California's medical cannabis law.

This year, we are calling on you and advocates nationwide to take action every day this week. Please read on for daily opportunities to advance safe access to medical cannabis. Celebrate Medical Marijuana Week with us by educating your community, meeting with your U.S. Senators, writing letters to the editor, and more!

Also, be sure to wear your ASA gear next week to further educate your community about Medical Marijuana Week! If you do not have an ASA t-shirt, sticker, hat, bag, or sweatshirt yet, visit our store so you can "Gear Up" for Medical Marijuana Week and beyond!

Monday: Join the Movement

In just five years, ASA has become the nation's largest organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. Join the fastest growing medical cannabis group, ASA, by becoming a member and/or asking your friends and family to join ASA.

Tuesday: Meet Your Senators

On Tuesday and Wednesday during Medical Marijuana Week hundreds of activists throughout the country are “dropping in” on their U.S. Senators’ district offices. Join your fellow activists by dropping in on both of your U.S. Senators’ local district offices on February the 12th to talk about supporting access for FDA-approved medical cannabis research. Urge them to support research by signing on to the letter Senators Kennedy and Kerry are circulating to enable FDA-approved research.

Wednesday: Put Pens to Paper for Research!

Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper calling on your Senators to support access for FDA-approved medical marijuana research. FDA-approved research is key to safe access nationwide. You never know who you might be influencing - other community members, a staffer in one of your Senator's district offices, or perhaps even one of your Senators! Visit ASA's LTE action site on Wednesday for an easy way to submit your LTE online, using talking points provided by our communications specialists.

Thursday: Meet Your Match

Patients nationwide have joined together to form condition-based unions to further promote medical cannabis research and advocate for safe access to medical cannabis through the Medical Marijuana Unions project. Plug into one of ASA’s fastest growing network of patients, researchers, advocates, and medical professionals. Join a condition-based union today!

Friday: Meet the Movement and Get Organized

ASA is excited to release our first ever National Field Report, which paints a comprehensive picture of the local, state, and national campaigns ASA’s chapters and affiliates work on and also highlights the 2007 accomplishments in the field. Download the report on Thursday and start or join an ASA chapter!

Saturday and Sunday: Walk Your Talk

On Saturday and Sunday, mobilize your community for medical marijuana research. Download and print out a petition calling on your U.S. Senators to support access to materials for FDA-approved medical cannabis research. Visit ASA’s fun interactive map to download a petition addressed to your state’s U.S. Senators. Gather signatures on this petition at your work, school, home, church, and in your community. Please send completed petitions back to ASA via fax: (510) 251-2036; or mail: 1322 Webster Street, Suite 402, Oakland, CA 94612

Please forward this email widely to friends, co-workers, and family to encourage them to join you in the national movement to protect safe access!

Sincerely,

Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access
Americans for Safe Access is the nation's largest organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.

February Cannabinoid Chronicles Now Available Online

[Courtesy of The Vancouver Island Compassion Society] The February issue of Cannabinoid Chronicles is now available for your viewing pleasure at: http://www.thevics.com/publications/vol5/VICSNews5_6.pdf Some stories: MMAR Provision Found Unconstitutional Sunshine Coast Constitutional Challenge Use Medical Cannabis, Lose Your Job Medical Cannabis Vending Machines IACM Bulletin Enjoy, Robin at the VICS
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