California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law today recognizing the legality of local distribution centers and the right of municipalities to regulate the much-needed provision of medical marijuana to hundreds of thousands of patients across the state. AB1300, which was authored by California Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (D-Van Nuys), takes effect on January 1st. The bill establishes that state law:

[S]hall not prevent a city or other local governing body from adopting and enforcing local ordinances that regulate the location, operation, or establishment of a medical marijuana cooperative or collective.

Although Americans for Safe Access (ASA) opposed Blumenfield’s bill for not going far enough to protect the operation of more than 1,000 storefront dispensaries and delivery services across the state, it does at least recognize their legitimacy and the need of patients to access these modes of distribution.

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There are two bills on the Governor’s desk that will severely limit safe access to medical cannabis in California. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is calling on supporters to contact Governor Jerry Brown today and ask him to veto SB 847 and AB 1300 to protect local access in our communities.

Can you take a few minutes right now to call or email Governor Brown? ASA’s online action center makes it easy!

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On Tuesday, Michigan’s Court of Appeals ruled in People v. Compassionate Apothecary that the sale of medical marijuana was illegal under state law, outlawing an important method of distribution relied on by thousands of Michigan patients. According to the City Pulse, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero blasted the ruling today as “a terrible setback” and “ridiculous law,” claiming that the judges “subverted the will of the people rather than facilitated it.” Lansing and other cities in Michigan have already adopted regulations licensing the same distribution facilities just banned by the appellate court.

Since voters passed the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008, patients have been struggling to find safe and legal ways to access their medication. Several cities including Ann Arbor, Lansing, Traverse City and Ypsilanti had forged ahead, adopting ordinances regulating local distribution so that legal protection would exist for patients and providers. But Tuesday’s decision undermines those local laws and an estimated 400 dispensaries that were operating across the state, generally without incident.

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A Light at the End of the Tunnel

By: Eugene Davidovich

It is no secret that medical marijuana patients in San Diego have been historically treated as second class citizens by our local elected officials. The County Board of Supervisors has done all it can to restrict access, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis continues to persecute patients, and Council members like Carl DeMaio, Marti Emerald, Sherri Lightner, and Kevin Faulconer vocally speak out against safe access.

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In an anticipated trial ruling in Qualified Patients Association v. City of Anaheim, Judge Chafee denied a challenge to Anaheim’s ban on medical marijuana dispensaries after he was reversed by the Fourth Appellate District one year ago. In this week’s unpublished decision, which has no precedential value, Judge Chafee decided that the Medical Marijuana Program Act (“MMPA”) does not forbid a city from banning “mass distribution” of medical marijuana through storefront dispensaries. However, under the MMPA qualified patients and their primary caregivers are not subject to criminal sanctions for sales where they associate collectively or cooperatively to cultivate marijuana for medical use.

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Chula Vista Police Strong-Arm Medical Marijuana Patients

By: Eugene Davidovich, San Diego Americans for Safe Access, August 14, 2011

Patients stand up in the face of threats, violence, and intimidation by Chula Vista Police Department during an illegal attempt to search Green Power medical marijuana collective in South San Diego.

Chula Vista – On July 12, at 10:45pm the Chula Vista City Council adopted an outright ban on medical marijuana dispensaries, cooperatives and collectives within city limits. The late hour vote was intentional so as to prevent members of the public from speaking against the ban.

Leading up to vote, patients, concerned citizens and supporters of safe access had diligently attended Council meetings for over two years pleading with their local representatives to protect sick and dying patients in their community. Dozens of patients turned out to meetings and sent letters and emails asking for reasonable regulations rather than a ban.

The City Council ignored the pleas of sick and dying patients and decided to side with the reefer madness propaganda fed to them by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department as well as San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis who continue to claim that all dispensaries are illegal and attract crime even though actual data shows otherwise.

The vote as well as the Council Members’ comments on July 12^th appeared to have given a green light to the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) to force existing safe access out of the City and to send a strong message of disregard to medical marijuana patients in Chula Vista. (more…)

The recently formed patient advocacy group Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition has confirmed State House Representative K.L Brown (R-Calhoun) as the lead sponsor of its proposed Alabama Medical Marijuana Patient’s Rights Act (AMMPRA). Advocates had attempted to push through legislation earlier in the year, but the bill (HB 386) died in committee this past spring. The latest proposal, however, represents a fresh start with new bill language. The AMMPRA is based on model state legislation designed by the new Think Tank at Americans for Safe Access (ASA).

This model state legislation, and the Think Tank that created it, comes from a new phase of ASA advocacy. We call it ASA 3.0 and the aim is to equip patient advocates with new tools to lobby local, state and federal governments. The “Medical Cannabis Think Tank” — providing activists the support they need to analyze pending or proposed legislation and to lobby for the best laws possible — is only one of the new features of ASA 3.0. To support lobbying efforts across the country, ASA has also unveiled its new “Online Training Center,” with more than 4 hours of educational streaming video and over 400 pages of instruction manuals and worksheets. ASA’s program also includes an improved “Raid Response Center” to better prepare for aggressive federal interference.

This month, ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer and I will be visiting eleven cities in California to train, empower, and activate the grassroots base of support for medical cannabis! Mark your calendar today for the closest stop on the ASA California Tour 2011.

We will be conducting a Know-Your-Rights and Raid Preparedness Training in each city, followed by very special city-wide Stakeholders Meeting. ASA invites patients, caregivers, doctors, researchers, community members, and others to attend these free events all over the state.

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August is the month to visit your Congress Critter! Most Representatives will be back home soon, so this is your chance to explain why it’s important to pass the bi-partisan legislation pending in Congress. H.R. would block the federal prosecution of patients in states that allow medical cannabis. H.R. 1984 would protect bank accounts for medical cannabis dispensaries. And H.R. 1985 would let dispensaries deduct expenses on their federal taxes like any other business.

You can reach your Representative by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or take action online right now.