ASA's Weekly News Summary: Week of 3/10/07

ASA ACTION: Legal Challenge to Cannabis Misinformation FEDERAL: Raids Continue in LA Area MINNESOTA: State Lawmakers Moving Forward NEW MEXICO: Medical Bill Not Dead Yet MARYLAND: Medical Use May Become Legal ILLINOIS: State Bill Advances CALIFORNIA: ID Cards Approved and Critiqued DISPENSARIES: Regulations in Process Around California ______________________________________________ ASA ACTION: Legal Challenge to Cannabis Misinformation As previously reported, the landmark lawsuit brought by ASA against the federal Department of Health and Human Services asks the courts to force the department and the Food and Drug Administration to stop saying cannabis has no accepted medical use. A little-known law called the Data Quality Act requires government agencies to use sound science in the information they disseminate. More on the DQA suit is online at AmericansForSafeAccess.org/DQA. Medical marijuana advocacy group sues the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by Lizeth Cazares, California Aggie The Food and Drug Administration's anti-medical marijuana stance is being put into question by a California advocacy group. Americans for Safe Access, the largest nationwide medical marijuana legislative group, filed a lawsuit Feb. 21 against the FDA in an effort to make the FDA repeal its stance that marijuana has no proven medical use. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4324 Medical marijuana: FDA must weigh all facts by EDITORIAL, California Aggie Despite mounting scientific support for the medicinal benefits of marijuana, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to oppose the drug's use in treating patients. The largest nationwide medical marijuana legislative group, Americans for Safe Access, recently filed a lawsuit against the FDA in an effort to persuade the agency to repeal its position on the issue. However, it shouldn't take a lawsuit for the FDA to reconsider its stance on medical marijuana. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4319 ______________________________________________ FEDERAL: Raids Continue in LA Area The flurry of raids on dispensaries in the LA area continue this week, as DEA agents returned to at least one of the locations previously raided. LA is in the process of instituting regulations for the operation of patient collectives that dispense cannabis, and the federal government is clearly doing everything it can to derail the local regulatory process. DEA Serves Warrant At West Hollywood Medical Marijuana Facility KNBC -TV Los Angeles The Drug Enforcement Administration served a search warrant Tuesday at a marijuana facility in West Hollywood that was one of several facilities previously raided by the federal agency. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4325 ______________________________________________ MINNESOTA: State Lawmakers Moving Forward A new bill to exempt medical cannabis patients from criminal penalties for following their doctors' advice is working its way through legislative committees in Minnesota. While similar measures have been proposed in the past, pundits are saying it has a good chance of passage this year. Medical marijuana may soon be reality by Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune (MN) A proposal that once inspired fears and jokes about drug abuse -- legalizing the use of marijuana for medical reasons -- stands a good chance of passage in the Minnesota Legislature this year. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4331 Lawmakers Debate use of Medical Marijuana Fox News - Twin Cities (MN) Lawmakers at the state capitol are debating the legalization of medical marijuana here in Minnesota. A House committee took up the issue legalizing marijuana for medical use today, and will resume the discussion tomorrow. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4317 Medical marijuana bill awaits committee action Shakopee Valley News A bill allowing Minnesotans to use marijuana for medical purposes awaits action by the House Health and Human Services Committee. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4314 ______________________________________________ NEW MEXICO: Medical Bill Not Dead Yet Supporters of a state bill in New Mexico were shocked when it first tied in the House and then failed in a re-vote. Governor Richardson, who is running for President, has taken the matter on personally, saying "I want it" and calling lawmakers one by one to ask for their support for a new bill. Governor says he's trying to revive medical marijuana bill Associated Press Gov. Bill Richardson says he's meeting with lawmakers to try to revive a medical in an effort to resurrect a medical marijuana bill. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4310 Medical marijuana not in future by Diana M. Alba, Almogordo Daily News All eyes in the House were fixed intently on a marquee as the votes slowly wracked up for the second time in one night on a measure to legalize marijuana for medical use. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4309 House rejects medical marijuana Associated Press The New Mexico House rejected a bill to legalize the medical use of marijuana Thursday on a 33-36 vote, effectively killing the measure for the year. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4311 ______________________________________________ MARYLAND: Medical Use May Become Legal Currently, medical cannabis patients in Maryland are not quite legal. The legislature has removed virtually all criminal penalties for patients, reducing medical cannabis use and possession to a minor misdemeanor, but patients and doctors have asked lawmakers to take the next step. Lawmakers Discuss Making Medical Marijuana Legal by Mike Hellgren, WJZ (Baltimore) Maryland lawmakers are discussing making medical marijuana legal. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4333 Post-polio sufferer wants medical marijuana legalized by Elizabeth Coe, The Capital (MD) Barry Considine has lived with nearly constant pain for almost 10 years, and his condition is getting worse. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4328 ______________________________________________ ILLINOIS: State Bill Advances The Illinois legislature is again considering a medical measure there. A similar bill was defeated in the last session, but increasing awareness of the medical science is helping propel the current bill, as the physician's OpEd in the Chicago Sun-Times makes clear. Medical marijuana bill passes IL committee by Kate Clements, News-Gazette (IL) Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, cancer and other chronic diseases would be able to treat their symptoms with marijuana under legislation the Senate public health committee approved on Tuesday. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4322 Research, not rhetoric: Marijuana can save lives by Dr. David G. Ostrow, OpEd, Chicago Sun-Times As Illinois legislators prepare to debate a new, practical plan for legalizing the medical use of marijuana (the Legislature actually passed a medical marijuana bill in 1971 but that flawed measure was never put into practice), they should consider a new study, published in the journal Neurology last month. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4332 ______________________________________________ CALIFORNIA: ID Cards Approved and Critiqued Now that the state of California has revised its plan to impose an enormous fee hike on ID cards, more counties are taking on the plan. Currently about half have implemented the cards, as mandated by state law. Medical marijuana ID program approved for Yolo County by Lizeth Cazares, California Aggie The Yolo County Board of Supervisors passed a motion to implement the statewide medical marijuana identification card program within the county on a three-to-two decision during its Feb. 27 meeting. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4320 Maybe some relief for medical marijuana patients in Lake County? by Tiffany Revelle, Record-Bee The county will address a California Department of Health Services (DHS) decision today that may spell relief for Lake County's medical marijuana patients. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4327 New fees are no cure for medical marijuana cards by EDITORIAL, Record Searchlight (CA) The state's medical marijuana ID program is a dismal failure, so what is Sacramento's solution? Charge more for it. What "medicine" are these guys smoking? http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4321 ______________________________________________ DISPENSARIES: Regulations in Process Around California While the operation of storefront cannabis dispensaries continues to spark significant debate around the state, with even some supporters of safe access raising questions, the fact is that many communities have embraced them as a way to provide access to the most needy. And ASA's study of those cities and counties with regulatory ordinances found that they have had great success in meeting the needs of patients and the larger community. See ASA's report at AmericansForSafeAccess.org/article.php?id=3676. Medical Pot Advocate Seeks Dispensary by Tony Burchyns , Gilroy Dispatch A medical marijuana club wants to open in town, but city officials need more time to weigh the burning issue. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4318 L.A.'s marijuana stores take root by William M. Welch, USA Today A decade ago, the Rev. Scott Imler co-wrote and organized the ballot initiative that made California the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use. Now Imler shakes his head with dismay over what his law has wrought: scores of storefront marijuana shops across Southern California with menus of pot varieties for sale to anyone with a doctor's note. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4323 City Council introduces ordinance to prohibit marijuana dispensaries by John V. Ciani, Ridgecrest Daily Independent The Ridgecrest City Council, at its Wednesday meeting, introduced an ordinance that would prohibit the issuance of business licenses to businesses that would violate local, state or federal law. The proposed ordinance also states that issuance of business license does not allow the conduct or the continuance of any illegal business or of a legal business in an illegal manner. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4316 Adelanto: No medical marijuana for now by Matthew C. Durkee, Victorville Daily Press In a special meeting City Council members voted to impose a 45-day moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4315 Pomona to discuss medical marijuana by Monica Rodriguez, Daily Bulletin (CA) The City Council will hold two public hearings tonight regarding medical marijuana dispensaries. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4330 Lompoc City Council expected to ban medical marijuana dispensaries by Neil Nisperos, Santa Maria Times The Lompoc City Council, which meets Tuesday, will likely outlaw medicinal marijuana dispensaries, or "cannabis clubs," from operating in town. http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4329 _________________________________ MORE ABOUT AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS Find out more about ASA at http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org. More medical marijuana news summaries can be seen at http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?list=type&type=122.