The California Assembly failed to adopt SJR 14 by only four votes on Monday (see votes). We are disappointed by this outcome, but I want to thank the hundreds of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) members and supporters who called their representatives in the Assembly over the last ten days to support the resolution. I also want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the staff in the offices of California Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), who worked tirelessly until the very last minute to get the votes we needed.

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The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office has filed a complaint (download sections 1- 2 -3 – 4) asking for a Temporary Restraining Order and Permanent Injunction closing 135 pre-moratorium medical cannabis collectives deemed ineligible to register under the city’s new ordinance. The complaint is City Attorney Carmen Trutanich’s latest escalation in his campaign to roll back safe access to medical cannabis in the city. His aggressive posture has already raised the ire of patients, legal collective operators, and advocates in the state’s largest city – including many who played an instrumental role in developing and promoting regulation in the city.

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Our sister organization, Canadians for Safe Access (CSA), reports a second raid of Cannabis as Living Medicine (CALM), one of the most well-established medical cannabis dispensaries in Canada.  Officers claimed they were responding to “community complaints” and seized a large quantity of medical grade cannabis and hashish.  Today, the website indicates that the peer-run collective, which serves more than 3,000 Canadians who suffer serious and chronic illness, is temporarily closed.

This unfortunate event is a reminder that Americans are not alone in our pursuit of safe and legal access.

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