The first anniversary of a major court victory for medical marijuana is coming up,
and we need your help to convince members of Congress to end federal attacks on
medical marijuana patients. ASA is joining MPP and other organizations to call for a
National Day of Action on Friday, June 4.

Last year on June 4, medical marijuana activist Ed Rosenthal was sentenced in
federal court for marijuana cultivation charges that could have earned him 20 years
in prison. Rosenthal had been convicted despite the fact that he had complied with
state law and, in fact, had been working directly with the City of Oakland. After
the jury who had convicted him learned of the facts that had been withheld from the
trial, they stood with Ed Rosenthal and his family and asked for a new trial. On
June 4, the federal judge surprised everyone by sentencing him to just one day of
time served, calling on Congress to resolve the conflict over medical marijuana.

One year later, the federal government is still wasting taxpayer money on raiding,
arresting, and prosecuting medical marijuana patients and their caregivers.

This needs to stop, and there's a winnable way to do it this summer. Last year, a
medical marijuana amendment to the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill,
sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), received 152 votes on the floor of the
U.S. House of Representatives. The Hinchey Amendment would bar the Justice
Department -- including the Drug Enforcement Administration -- from spending any
money to interfere with state medical marijuana laws. This would effectively end the
federal government’s attacks on medical marijuana patients and providers.

This year, on the anniversary of Mr. Rosenthal’s sentencing, ASA is joining a
National Day of Action, with the purpose of educating targeted members of Congress
about the Hinchey amendment.ASA is joining with MPP and other organizations in
lobbying to pass the Hinchey Amendment this year. We only need 66 more votes to pass
the amendment, and we need your help to get them.

On June 4, hundreds of volunteers from around the country will converge on their
U.S. representatives’ district offices to hand out literature urging members of
Congress to support ending federal attacks on sick and dying patients in medical
marijuana states. Please help us convince Congress to protect patients from arrest
and prison by taking part in this grassroots lobbying campaign.

To see how your member of Congress voted, visit
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=676 If they voted No on the Hinchey
Amendment last year, please join us in either setting up a meeting while they are in
the district, or flyering outside their office on June 4. (If you don't know who
your representative is, enter your zipcode at http://www.house.gov) Then get in touch with
our office and let us know how you would like to participate.

Thank you in advance for taking action in support of medical marijuana patients and
providers and please don’t forget to forward this email to your friends and family
who believe in protecting the sick and dying.

=====================Hilary McQuie
Campaign Director
Americans for Safe Access
1678 Shattuck Ave. #317
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-486-8083
http://www.safeaccessnow.org