ASA CA Weekly Alert

Take Action!

1) National - Help ASA Stop the DEA Raids: Urge Congress to Pass the Hinchey Resolution!

ASA Chapter Meetings

1) Tuesday, June 13th, San Diego: San Diego ASA Meeting
2) Tuesday, June 13th, San Francisco: SF ASA Meeting
3) Tuesday, June 13th, Modesto: Merced County Patients Coalition Meeting
4) Thursday, June 15th, Fullerton: Orange County ASA Meeting
5) Thursday, June 15th, Guerneville: Sonoma ASA Meeting
6) Saturday, June 17th, Hollywood: LA ASA Meeting
7) Saturday, June 17th, Yuba City: Yuba-Sutter ASA Meeting
8) Thursday, June 22nd, Sacramento: Sac ASA Meeting

City & County Hearings

1) Wednesday, June 14th, Antioch: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ordinance or Ban
2) Monday, June 19th, El Cerrito: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ordinance or Ban
3) Thursday, June 22nd, Clearlake: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ordinance or Ban

Court Support

1) Monday, June 12th, Santa Ana: Court Support for Michael Teague
2) Monday, June 19th, Fresno: Court Support for Joe Fortt
3) Thursday, June 22nd, San Francisco: Court Support for Keith Alden

Take Action!

1) National - Help ASA Stop the DEA Raids: Urge Congress to Pass the Hinchey Resolution!

At the end of June, Congress will once again be voting on the Hinchey medical marijuana resolution. Now is the time to make your voice heard on this issue! Each week, until the hearing, I will be issuing an action item that you can take part in. Please participate and pass these messages on to friends, co-workers and relatives! Please visit the ASA website for the full action alert and explanation of ASA's strategy to pass the Hinchey resolution.

This Week's Action Item: Write to your Congressional Representative using ASA's Online Action Center!

In the past year alone, the DEA conducted more than 20 raids on legal and registered patient collectives and dispensaries across the state of California. Currently, the Department of Justice is prosecuting more than three-dozen licensed medical cannabis patients and care providers. Use ASA’s automated system to write your rep! URGE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THE HINCHEY-ROHRABACHER MEDICAL MARIJUANA AMENDMENT!

ASA Chapter Meetings

1) Tuesday, June 13th, San Diego: San Diego ASA Meeting

Our San Diego chapter of ASA has been busy lately and needs you to get involved. It is time to get involved and protect safe access!

For more info about the chapter, please visit their site: http://sdasa.4mg.com/index.html

Twiggs Coffee House
4590 Park Blvd.
In the Green Room
7:00-8:00 p.m.


2) Tuesday, June 13th, San Francisco: SF ASA Meeting

It's more important than ever that San Francisco patients join together to ensure regulations that protect patients' access, rights and privacy. Join SF ASA to plan for the future of medical cannabis in San Francisco.

7:00 p.m
San Francisco Woman's Building
3543 18th Street #8
Room B

For more info, call Alex: 415-794-1543


3) Tuesday, June 13th, Modesto: Merced County Patients Coalition Meeting

The next MCPC meeting is scheduled for 6/13/06, at 7 PM, at 4213 McHenry Ave-Suite F.

We will be working on getting the Stanislaus group situated, and discuss organizational questions. The Stanislaus group will more than likely to assume the leadership position of MCPC as there is stronger patient support in Stanislaus than in Merced. The Stanislaus group will serve patients in the Modesto, Merced and beyond. The reason for assimilation will be discussed at the meeting. This meeting will be informal, and we hope that other reps from ASA and the Coalition will be present, to discuss and generate ideas about how to move forward with the evolution. There will be a few announcements at the meeting as well. Patients are encouraged to get involved and give their input.

We thank those that have been supportive to the movement and MCPC. We hope that you will embrace the new group, and work collaboratively to protect "Safe and Affordable Access" for all patients and those who use cannabis religiously.

Thanks,

Nick Osborne
209-261-8324
nick [at] merccountypc.com
nick [at] compassionatecoalition.org


4) Thursday, June 15th, Fullerton: Orange County ASA Meeting

Orange County ASA is beginning to meet again and we need your support! Please come to discuss local law enforcement problems and campaigns to address this and other issues.

Thursday, June 15th @ 7 p.m.
1520 E Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton (next to tattoo shop)

For info, contact Adam: adamgingras [at] gmail.com or 949 246 9395


5) Thursday, June 15th, Guerneville: Sonoma ASA Meeting

When: Thursday at 7:30pm
Where: Marvin’s Gardens 15025 River Road (towards Guerneville)

Come check out Sonoma’s chapter of American’s for Safe Access. We’ve got a lot to go over this month, dispensary regulations and plant guidelines are being discussed county wide. Patients, supporters, caregivers and friends are welcome to come share their opinions on what should happen locally. More info 707-332-6556


6) Saturday, June 17th, Hollywood: LA ASA Meeting

~ LA ASA Monthly Meeting ~ Saturday, June 17th ~ 2-4pm

Meeting Location: Hollywood Lutheran Church
1733 N. New Hampshire Ave. in Hollywood (90027)

Join us to participate in a Hinchey Amendment write-in campaign, to write a letter to a medical marijuana prisoner and start to organize for our next LA ASA party/fundraiser! For more information contact Andrea at (323) 464-7719 or email 25andrea [at] sbcglobal.net.

Your support is important, your action is invaluable. Thank you to everyone who attended and volunteered at our June 8th Vapor Salon! A fabulous time was had by all! =)

Amanda Brazel
LA County Field Coordinator


7) Saturday, June 17th, Yuba City: Yuba-Sutter ASA Meeting

Our regular Yuba-Sutter ASA Meetings will now be held at Clark Avenue Coffees of Yuba City. The ASA meetings will be held on the back patio area. Plenty of parking too! (Weather permitting, the meetings may be moved inside due to heat or cold)

Our regular, ongoing meetings will now be held on the first and third Saturday of each month. The meetings will begin at 2:15 PM and end at 4:20 PM. The address is 101 Clark Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991

For further information please call: 530-531-5592 or email us at: cannabisadvocate [at] gmail.com


8) Thursday, June 22nd, Sacramento: Sac ASA Meeting

Sacramento ASA has begun meeting again and they're busy strategizing on ways to effect local, state and national policies.

The Sacramento medical marijuana community was once extremely active with Americans for Safe Access. Sac ASA met regularly, organized a huge rally for Bryan Epis at the Capitol, and did all they could to protect patients' rights.

Patients and advocates in the Sacramento area are coming together again to reinvigorate ASA. Please join them at their bi-weekly meetings:

Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Capitol Wellness Collective
2400 14th Street, Sacramento

Patients and non-patients are welcome. This is a great opportunity to get involved with ASA and to work on both local and national campaigns.

For more information, please call 916-325-9000.

City & County Hearings
1) Wednesday, June 14th, Antioch: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ordinance or Ban

Antioch currently has a moratorium on new dispensaries and is holding a hearing on whether to allow dispensaries or not. Please show your support and express how important dispensaries are to patients!

7p.m. Maintenance Service Center Training Room 1201 West Fourth Street

Please download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums & bans.


2) Monday, June 19th, El Cerrito: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ordinance or Ban

El Cerrito currently has a moratorium on new dispensaries and is holding a hearing on whether to allow dispensaries or not. The city staff is currently working on a report, and the City Manager claims they have received NO input from patients! Please show your support and express how important dispensaries are to patients!

7:30p.m Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane.

Please download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums & bans.


3) Thursday, June 22nd, Clearlake: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ordinance or Ban

LAKE CO. Cal - The Clearlake city council will be debating whether to allow cannabis dispensaries to remain in operation this June 22nd at 6 PM. MMJ supporters are invited to gather at Holistic Solutions, 14240 Lakeshore Dr, beforehand and walk from there to city hall for the hearings. The Clearlake city council quietly voted to impose a moratorium on dispensaries a few weeks ago. They are now considering whether to allow existing dispensaries to extend their business licenses. The town's new city attorney is claiming that dispensaries are illegal. For more info contact: Dave Moses at Holistic Solutions, (707) 995-9000.
D. Gieringer, Cal NORML

Please download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums & bans.

Court Support

1) Monday, June 12th, Santa Ana: Court Support for Michael Teague

When: June 12, 2006, at 1:30 p.m.

Where: United States District Court Ronald Reagan Federal Building, Courtroom 9D
411 West Fourth St.
Santa Ana, CA 92701

What: Tustin, CA patient Michael Teague was arrested in May 2002 and charged under state law with cultivating just over 100 immature plants. Teague's charges were dismissed in state court, but he was subsequently re-arrested by BATF and given federal charges. Teague pled guilty to cultivation without waiving his right to appeal, and was sentenced in August 2003 to 18 months in prison. Although Teague expected his appeal to be mounted immediately, due to a failure by the court to produce a trial transcript, he was forced to serve his entire sentence before the appeal got underway. ASA took up Teague's appeal before his release to fight his original conviction. In February 2006, Teague's Tenth Amendment and due process claims were denied by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. However, a claim of improper sentencing resulted in his case being remanded to U.S. District Court for re-sentencing to reduce his current 4-year term of supervised release.


2) Monday, June 19th, Fresno: Court Support for Joe Fortt

Status hearing at 9:00am before Judge Anthony W. Ishii in U.S. District Court, 5th Floor, 2500 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA. Despite Joe Fortt closing the doors to his Bakersfield medical marijuana dispensary, American Kenpo Kungfu School of Public Health, a day after the Gonzales v. Raich decision, three places of cultivation were raided and he was arrested on July 20, 2005. Allegedly, over 2,000 plants were seized and Fortt was subsequently charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess more than 1,000 plants. Fortt is currently incarcerated, and faces a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence if convicted.


3) Thursday, June 22nd, San Francisco: Court Support for Keith Alden

Status hearing at 2pm before Judge Martin Jenkins in U.S. District Court, 450 Golden Gate, San Francisco, CA. Sonoma County patient and caregiver Keith Alden was arrested on May 9, 2001 after a raid on his medical marijuana garden, which supplied him and other patients. On February 11, 2002, Alden was convicted by a jury of cultivating more than 100 plants, and sentenced to 5 years probation. Alden was then re-arrested on July 31, 2002, for cultivating while on probation. He was later convicted on December 19, 2002 for growing over 900 plants, and sentenced to 44 months in prison. Alden was released on bail pending appeal in April 2004. After the Raich decision, the Ninth Circuit Court ruled against Alden on his appeal and remanded his case to the District Court. Alden is now awaiting resentencing.

--
Rebecca Saltzman
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access
p (510) 251-1856 x 308
f (510) 251-2036
http://www.safeaccessnow.org