Weekly Action Alert: Court Support & Alameda Hearing

Monday, May 23: Stockton, CA: Support Aaron Paradiso in Court!

Aaron Paradiso, a quadriplegic medical marijuana patient from Stockton
and his mother Debra, who acts as his caregiver, were arrested in August
2003 and charged with felony cultivation and possession for sales.
Charges were dropped against Debra, and Aaron's case was later dismissed
on a technicality in December 2004. The DA immediately reinstated the
case against Aaron AND his mother and is due to go to trial soon.

Please come out and support Aaron and Debra by protesting at and
attending their pre-trial hearing:

Meet to protest at 9am before the hearing!
The hearing is Monday, May 23, 10 am
San Joaquin County Courthouse, 222 East Weber Ave, Stockton.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Tuesday, May 24th @ 10am
Alameda County Board of Supervisors Meeting to Discuss Dispensing
Regulations

(agenda can be found at
http://www.acgov.org//board/bos_calendar/documents/ag_052405.pdf)

Administration Building, Board Chambers
1221 Oak Street
5th Floor Rm 512
Oakland, 94607, Alameda County

The key issues are:

1. Arbitrary cap on quantity of dispensaries (3-5). A large presence
could improve the chance of getting a cap of 5 as opposed to 3, but no
cap or a higher cap seems unlikely to pass.

2. Restriction on on-site consumption. Certain Supes are fighting for NO
on-site consumption. At the last committee meeting Nate Miley argued for
allowing on-site vaporization, but even that was met with resistance.
Again, a large presence could tip the scales on this one.

3. Distance of dispensaries from schools, parks, etc. The current
suggestions is 1000 feet, but we should continue to fight for 500 feet.
At 1000 feet, some of the current dispensaries would be forced to shut
down.

Please let any patients in the Alameda area know about this meeting,
especially patients that live in the unincorporated areas of the county.

ASA will be passing out talking points at the meeting. We need patients
& advocates to speak out to convince the supervisors of the need for
more dispensaries and for on-site consumption. If you need coaching on
how to talk about these issues, please call me.

--
Rebecca Saltzman
Executive Assistant
Americans for Safe Access
(510) 251-1856
http://www.safeaccessnow.org