ASA California Weekly Alert

Mogie

Weekly Round Up
1. a. Assemblyman Leno and ASA Introduce Patients' Employment Rights Bill
b. Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, For Patients By Patients
c. Fullerton City Council Vote Leaves Safe Access Up in the Air

ASA's Legal Tip of the Month
2. Employment Rights and Medical Marijuana: Post-Ross v. Raging Wire- Part 1 of 2: Currently Employed Patients

Chapter and Affiliate Meetings
3. **Monday, February 25, Fresno: Special Planning Meeting for Fresno ASA**
4. Tuesday, February 26, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting
5. Wednesday, February 27, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting
6. Tuesday, March 4, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting
7. Thursday, March 6, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County ASA

City and County Hearings
8. Tuesday, February 26, Santa Clarita: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ban
9. Tuesday, February 26, Martinez: Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to Vote on Dispensary Ban
Court Support
10. Tuesday, February 26, Oakland: General Appearance for Tainted Inc. Employees

Special Events
10. Saturday, February 23, Sacramento: Sacramento Medical Marijuana Patients Art Show
11. Save the Date: April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth National Conference

Weekly Round Up CA
1. a. Assemblyman Leno and ASA Introduce Patients' Employment Rights Bill
b. Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, For Patients By Patients
c. Fullerton City Council Vote Leaves Safe Access Up in the Air

a. Assemblyman Leno and ASA Introduce Patients' Employment Rights Bill


This week, Assemblyman Mark Leno, working with ASA, introduced AB 2279, a bill that would protect a patient's right to work and will help end discrimination against patients in the workplace. 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. ASA argued the case before the court and is now a sponsor of the bill.

AB 2279 marks a historic milestone for the medical cannabis community. This is the first bill that ASA has co-sponsored and the first California bill that specifically focuses on expanding the civil rights of medical cannabis patients. If passed, this bill will end employment discrimination against patients. We are very excited to work with Assemblyman Leno's office on passing this bill and will keep you updated on how you can help to ensure a patient's right to work.

For more information, contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org.

Read ASA's press release and the Oakland Tribune article about the bill introduction.




b. Medical Marijuana Awareness Week, For Patients By Patients

Last week the medical cannabis community celebrated Medical Marijuana Awareness Week 2008. Thousands of patients, activists, and supporters participated in ASA's daily action, generating letters to the editors, joining ASA as members, and meeting with elected officials. Locally, the week started out with Sunday's Medical Cannabis University, sponsored by San Francisco ASA. Twenty patient-students graduated from the Medical Cannabis University. On Tuesday, San Francisco ASA sponsored a free legal training at which over 30 patients learned their constitutional rights and developed skills on how to deal with a raid situation. Meanwhile, in Arcata, Humboldt County ASA honored several medical cannabis supporters, including Rep. Mike Thompson, for their leadership around medical cannabis issues.

San Francisco ASA sponsored the 5th Annual ASA SF Valentine's Day Spread the Love Seed Planting to deliver a special Valentine to mayor Gavin Newsom asking him to write letters to both Governor Schwarzenegger urging him to publicly support medical cannabis and Congressman John Conyers encouraging him to hold investigative hearings. The Valentine also stated that if patients lost safe access to medical cannabis because of his inaction, we will ask him to personally grow the medicine for us. Over 50 patients participated in the event and 20 plants were given to Mayor Newsom.

On Friday, East Bay ASA hosted a testimonial video filming walk-in day with dozens of patients participants. LA ASA celebrated Medical Marijuana Awareness Week at their monthly meeting by hosting ASA's Medical Advisory Boardmember, Jahan Marcu, to speak.The week also featured two separate film screenings, first on Wednesday, at Oaksterdam University with a Sneak Preview of an unreleased medical marijuana film and on Saturday, with a free film festival featuring several medical cannabis documentaries. The week came to a close on Sunday with SF ASA's 5th Annual 215 Party, which featured live music, raffles, and live djs. Over 100 advocates and patients turned out for the event.

Thank you to everyone who helped organize the events and actions. It is volunteers and supporters like you that made Medical Marijuana Week 2008 a success!


c. Fullerton City Council Vote Leaves Safe Access Up in the Air

After originally voting 3 to 2 against a ban on dispensaries several weeks ago, the Fullerton City Council met on Wednesday and voted against banning dispensaries, and at the same time voted against developing dispensary regulations, leaving the situation up in the air. The police department made a presentation against collectives. Orange County ASA members and other advocates attended the hearing and spoke in support of safe access in Fullerton.

What is next in Fullerton remains to be seen. Patients and activists are preparing materials to follow up with the council and will decide how to move forward after meeting with the local representatives. Local patients will be crucial in this effort, so please keep you eyes on ASA's forums and the upcoming Weekly Alerts for updates.

ASA's Legal Tip of the Month patients rights

2. Employment Rights and Medical Marijuana: Post-Ross v. Raging Wire- Part 1 of 2: Currently Employed Patients

In the disappointing January decision, Ross v.RagingWire, the California Supreme Court determined that medical marijuana patients cannot state legal claims for damages under the Fair Employment and Housing Act or on public policy grounds for retaliation from employers for testing positive for marijuana. Unfortunately, employment discrimination against medical marijuana patients remains a widespread problem. What does this mean for you?

If you are a patient who is in a non-safety-sensitive position, and your employer has no probable cause to administer a drug test (such as your involvement in an accident or injury), and you have not previously agreed to drug testing as a condition of your employment, then you may refuse to take a drug test when asked by your employer. If you are retaliated against for doing so, you may have a legal cause of action.

If your employer retaliates against you for being a medical marijuana patient, you can still file a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, but know that it is a mostly symbolic statement, as it is almost certain no action will be taken under current law.

The ray of hope for patients is that ASA is working with California Assemblyman Mark Leno to pass legislation that codifies employment protections for medical marijuana patients into law.

Chapter and Affiliate Meetings asa activist

3. **Monday, February 25, Fresno: Special Planning Meeting for Fresno ASA**

Please join Fresno ASA at a special planning meeting on Monday, the 25th at 6:00pm. We will be preparing for the upcoming Board of Supervisors' meeting the following day. It is very important that medical cannabis supporters attend this meeting.

When: Monday, the 25th at 6:00pm
Where: Fig Garden Memorial Library
Corner of Marks and Bullard in the Shopping Center

For more information contact Diana at: fresnocagal@sbcglobal.net

4. Tuesday, February 26, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting

Please join San Francisco ASA as we reflect on Medical Marijuana Awareness Week and prepare for upcoming events.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 26th at 7:30pm
Where: Bowzer's Pizza, 371 11th St in San Francisco

For more info, contact Alex: aaafranco@yahoo.com

5. Wednesday, February 27, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting

We have rescheduled our Civil Disobedience Training for this month's East Bay ASA meeting. This training will be an important follow up to the DEA emergency response meetings we've held over the past several months. Even if you are not willing to risk arrest during an emergency response action, you should still attend this training, as we will be covering support roles that are just as vital to an action. Since this is a training session we will be starting the meeting promptly at 7:00pm. If you wish to socialize on your arrival we suggest that you come 15 minutes early.

Please join us to prepare to stand up against DEA attacks!

When: Wednesday the 27th at 7:00pm
Where: 1322 Webster St. Suite 402 (2 blocks from 12th St. BART station)
Oakland, CA

For more information contact Rebecca@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

6. Tuesday, March 4, Sacramento: Sacramento ASA Meeting

Please join Sacramento ASA as we continue to fight for safe access! At our meeting, we will be discussing upcoming campaigns, reaching out to condition-based groups, upcoming events in Sacramento, and much more!

When: Tuesday the 4th at 7:00pm
Where: Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Ave. Suite H in Sacramento

For more information, contact Lanette at: cannacare@earthlink.net

7. Thursday, March 6, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County ASA

Please join us at our monthly Sonoma County ASA meeting. We will be discussing local, state, and national campaigns that will have an impact on patients' access to medicine.

Please come out and support safe access in our community!

When: Thursday, the 6th, 5:00-7:00pm
Where: South City View Room
Department of Public Health
625 5th St., Santa Rosa, CA (Between Humboldt and Mendocino)

For more info, contact: asasonomaco@aol.com

City and County Hearings hearings

8. Tuesday, February 26, Santa Clarita: City Council to Discuss a Dispensary Ban

The Santa Clarita City Council will hold a public hearing to discuss a potential dispensary ban on Tuesday the 26th at 6:00pm. The recommendation by the council is that there should be a vote to ban dispensaries within the city limits. Please come out and show your support for safe access in Santa Clarita!

Download ASA's talking points about dispensary regulations.

When: Tuesday, the 26th at 6:00pm
Where: Santa Clarita City Council Chambers
23920 Valencia Blvd. 1 st Floor
Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Click here to read the agenda for the meeting.

For more information contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

9. Tuesday, February 26, Martinez: Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to Vote on Dispensary Ban

Contra Costa Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing to discuss a ban on medical cannabis dispensaries. Please come out and show your support for safe access.

Download ASA's talking points about dispensary regulations.

When: Tuesday, the 26th at 11:00am
Where: County Administration Building
651 Pine Street, Room 107
Martinez, CA

For more information contact Sonnet@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

Court Support court support
10. Tuesday, February 26, Oakland: General Appearance for Tainted Inc. Employees

Please come out and show your support for the four former Tainted Inc. employees. On September 26, 2007, the DEA raided five locations in Oakland and San Leandro, allegedly confiscating hundreds of edibles and 460 plants, and arresting Jessica Sanders (30), Michael Anderson (42), and Diallo McLinn (35). After a press conference on October 4, Michael Martin (33), who had been on vacation during the raid, voluntarily turned himself in. All four are charged with conspiracy to manufacture or distribute controlled substances and are out on bail. Tainted Edibles were available for patients as an alternative to smoking at dispensing collectives across the state.

What: General appearance before Federal Magistrate Wayne B. Brazil
When: February 26 at 10:00am
Where: Oakland Federal Building 1301 Clay St. Oakland, CA

For more information visit CANNABLOG — FREE TAINTED!


Special Events special events 11. Saturday, February 23, Sacramento: Sacramento Medical Marijuana Patients Art Show

Come and enjoy art, music, wine, and Hors D'oeuvres while celebrating safe access!

Where: The Brick House 2837 36th Street (Corner of Broadway & 36th)
When: 7:00pm
For more information contact: 916-325-9000

12. Save the Date: April 4-5, 2008: Patients Out of Time Fifth National Conference

Question: Have you registered for the Patients Out of Time national conference yet? If not, please register today!

Save the date for the Fifth National Patients Out of Time conference for April 4th and 5th. For more information and to register visit The Fifth National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics | Patients Out of Time

The Patient Out of Time Conference will feature patients, activists, doctors, and researchers gathering to discuss the latest research on medical marijuana. This important conference only happens once every other year, so if you are a patient, doctor, researcher, and/or supporter, we strongly encourage you to look into attending the conference, which will be held at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula.
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Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access
AmericansForSafeAccess.org

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.

Join us today... AmericansforSafeAccess.org

Headquarters
1322 Webster St Suite 402
Oakland, CA 94612
P: 510-251-1856 ext. 321 F: 510-251-2036

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