ASA: Campaign Update

Activists, Colleagues and Friends:

As a follow-up to the introduction offered by Steph Sherer a few weeks ago,
I am writing to provide you with an update on the status of several ASA
campaigns. Despite a disappointing ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier
this week, medical marijuana advocacy marches on. In the next few months
ASA will be focusing our efforts towards facilitating safe and legal access
in California while simultaneously applying pressure on the federal
government to reschedule marijuana.

I would like to share our campaign plans for the immediate future and invite
your participation.

California Campaign for Safe Access

In California, along with our Legal Team, we’ve taken on a six-pronged
campaign to protect safe access to medical marijuana.

1. Public Education: Through materials, mailings, and trainings, ASA
has been educating attorneys, elected officials, patients, and caregivers.
We are currently doing spokesperson trainings for activists across the
state, and we will soon be embarking on a legal training tour to educate
patients and caregivers about their legal rights and how to correctly
respond during law enforcement encounter.

2. Sample Ordinances: In addition to basic mailings, ASA has been
working elected officials in cities and counties to ensure positive
ordinances are developed and make certain patients voices are represented
loud and clear. We have been rallying patients and advocates to come to
local government meetings and have been setting up lobbying meetings with
key officials.

3. Patient Services: ASA offers peer counseling at dispensing
collectives across the state and direct legal support through our toll-free
hotline. ASA peer counselors now visit nearly 20 sites per week across the
state, offering legal, medical, and political resources to patients.

4. Watchdog Role: Our political and legal teams, with the help of peer
counselors and local advocates, monitor the development of laws and the
abuses of state and local law enforcement.

5. Emergency Response: ASA turns out advocates for patient court
support and to protest after raids, in order to generate positive media and
put pressure on prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. We also employ
direct action tactics aimed at state and local officials, as well as law
enforcement.

6. Proactive Legal Campaign: When political pressure is not enough, our
legal team springs into action. During the past six months, we have filed
two proactive lawsuits. ASA filed a group lawsuit on February 15, 2005,
challenging the CHP's policy with regard to medical marijuana. If
successful, CHP will be instructed to change its policy. And more recently,
we have sued the City of Fresno for its ban on medical cannabis
dispensaries.

FDA/HHS Heat Campaign

The FDA/HHS Heat Campaign is a comprehensive campaign designed to apply
multifaceted pressure on the Department of Health and Human Services to
reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II or III. Rescheduling
marijuana is the most efficient way to ensure that patients everywhere have
safe and legal access to the medicine that provides them relief.

HHS continues to be a significant roadblock with respect to a variety of
issues impacting medical marijuana and the patients who use this product for
relief. They block research, direct the rescheduling process, and control
funding resources that could be used for research.

This campaign includes various tactics:

Formal Rescheduling Petition: This petition was submitted in 2002 by the
Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis, an association of public-interest
groups and medical cannabis patients that includes Americans for Safe
Access. Secretary Leavitt has committed to answering the petition no later
than August, 2005.

Postcards, Citizen Petitions & Sign-On Letters: ASA has sent HHS thousands
of petitions and postcards from patients, doctors, and advocates. We are
also in the process of organizing a sign-on letter for influential leaders,
including members of Congress, celebrities, and health organizations urging
HHS to reschedule marijuana now.

Sativex/IND Project: We are organizing patients and doctors in key
non-medical marijuana states to file applications for the federal IND
program, requesting access to Sativex, a sublingual cannabis spray that will
soon be available in Canada. We are hoping to plan a direct action in
Washington, DC with participating patients and their Doctors this summer.

Direct Action: On October 5, 2004, hundreds of patients and advocates from
around the country gathered at HHS to rally for rescheduling. After a half
hour of moving testimonials from patients, we unveiled a 600-foot banner
that repeated the phrase "Accepted Medical Value" with over seven thousand
doctors' names that had signed on to a statement supporting marijuana as
medicine. After the banner was completely unrolled, 14 patients and
advocates, including myself, blocked the front doors of the building,
demanding to see Tommy Thompson, head of HHS, and were eventually arrested.

Supporting National Campaigns of Ally Organizations

In addition to our own campaigns, we are providing support to the national
organizations working on federal legislation to reschedule or prohibit
federal tax dollars from being used to raid or otherwise interfere with
state that have passed favorable medical marijuana laws. This support
includes sending out action alerts, facilitating direct and indirect citizen
lobbying and supporting public education efforts.

As you can tell, these are some substantial campaigns ASA is working
towards. I would welcome any input or support you or your organizations
can offer. Rescheduling marijuana is the magic bullet to end the war on
medical marijuana patients. I know we can make a real difference by forging
relationships and working together. For questions or clarifications about
any of these Campaigns, don't hesitate to contact me.

In Solidarity,

Caren
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Caren Woodson
Campaign Director
Americans For Safe Access

888.929.4367
510.251.1856

http://www.SafeAccessNow.org