ASA CA Weekly Alert

**Take Action!
**
1) National - Help ASA Stop the DEA Raids: Urge Congress to Pass the
Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment!
**
ASA Chapter Meetings
**
1) Tuesday, June 27th, San Francisco: SF ASA Meeting
2) Wednesday, June 28th, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting
3) Saturday, July 1st, Yuba City: Yuba-Sutter ASA Meeting
4) Thursday, July 6th, Guerneville: Sonoma ASA Meeting
**
City & County Hearings
**
1) Thursday, June 29th, Fremont: Planning Commission to Consider BANNING
Dispensaries**

Court Support
**
1) Tuesday, June 27th, Fresno: Court Support for Thunder Rector
2) Thursday, June 29th, Sacramento: Court Support for Louis Fowler

*Special Events*

1) Monday, June 26th, Palm Springs: Demonstration Calling on Mary Bono
to Vote for the Hinchey Amendment!
2) Thursday, June 29th, Los Angeles: Party Celebrating /Burning Rainbow
Farm/, by Dean Kuipers
**
**
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*Take Action!*/****/**
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*1) National - Help ASA Stop the DEA Raids: Urge Congress to Pass the
Hinchey Resolution!*

Next week, Congress will once again be voting on the Hinchey-Rohrabacher
medical marijuana amendment. Now is the time to make your voice heard on
this issue! Please visit the ASA website for the full action alert
<http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=3430> and explanation of
ASA's strategy to pass the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment.

/* This Week's Action Item*: Call Your Congressional Representative -
Urge Support for Hinchey Amendment!**/**

In the next week before the vote, it is extremely important to call your
Representative. His/her staff will be tallying calls and informing your
Representative on the opinions of his/her constituency.

Members of Congress' offices can be reached through the U.S Capitol
Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or through the online congressional
directory at http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.html


Script Text Option 1: Formal

Hello, my name is ______________. I am a constituent of
Representative ___________________.

I am calling today to urge Representative ________________ to vote
in favor of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment to the Justice
Appropriations Bill.

It is important to remember that this amendment does not legalize
medical marijuana. It simply prevents the Department of Justice from
using funds to prevent 10 states from implementing State laws
authorizing the use of medical marijuana in those states.


Script Text Option 2: Emotional

Hello, my name is ______________. I am a constituent of
Representative ___________________.

I am calling today to urge Representative ________________ to vote
in favor of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment to the Justice
Appropriations Bill.

As noted by the majority of US Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v.
Raich, just because the federal government has the power to arrest
patients, doesn't mean its wise to do so. Demonstrate compassion and
a respect for a culture of life. Vote to protect patients' right to
live and die with dignity.

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*ASA Chapter Meetings*
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*1) Tuesday, June 27th, 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

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*
2) Wednesday, June 28th, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting*

Last month's East Bay ASA meeting was a huge success, drawing 25
advocates from the East Bay and beyond. We began making strategic plans
for the rest of the year to ensure safe access in Alameda and Contra
Costa Counties.

Please join us and make your voice heard! Refreshments will be served.

* Wednesday, June 28th @ 7 pm*

Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative
1734 Telegraph (back entrance), Downtown Oakland
Just a couple blocks from the 19th Street BART station!

For more information or to get involved, contact Rebecca:
Rebecca [at] SafeAccessNow.org or 510-251-1856 x 308

Please spread the word and pass this on to your East Bay neighbors!

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*3) Saturday, July 1st, 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: 530-844-1795 or email us at:
cannabisadvocate [at] gmail.com

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*4) Thursday, July 6th, 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

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**City & County Hearings**
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*1) Thursday, June 29th, Fremont: Planning Commission to Consider
BANNING Dispensaries*

The City of Fremont currently has a moratorium on dispensaries. Next
Thursday, the Planning Commission will consider permanently banning
dispensaries.

Patients & advocates are encouraged to speak to the Planning Commission.
Tell them how important dispensaries are to patients!

Please download ASA talking points
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?list=type&type=212> on dispensary
regulations, moratoriums & bans.

7:00p.m Council Champers,
3300 Capitol Avenue Fremont

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*Court Support*
****
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*1) Tuesday, June 27th, Fresno: Court Support for Thunder Rector*

Status hearing at 1:30pm before Oliver W. Wanger in Department 3 (7th
Floor) of the U.S. District Court, 2500 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA.
Modesto patient and caregiver Thunder Rector was arrested on July 18,
2005, as a result of a raid by the Stanislaus County Sheriff earlier in
July. Allegedly, the Sheriff confiscated 49 plants and 235 pounds of
marijuana and handed it over to the feds. Rector is now being prosecuted
on federal charges of conspiracy and manufacturing marijuana with intent
to distribute. Rector and his wife had been providing medical marijuana
to patients at the San Francisco Dispensary the Divinity Tree.

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*2) Thursday, June 29th, Sacramento: Court Support for Louis Fowler*

Status hearing before Judge Edward Garcia in U.S. District Court at 501
"I" Street in Sacramento. The DEA and Sheriff conducted a raid on
Sacramento County dispensary operator Louis Fowler, 51, on July 7, 2005.
In addition to the raid on the Alternative Specialties dispensary,
allegedly as a result of operating without a business license, three
other locations were raided by the DEA and Sheriff where two indoor
gardens allegedly with more than 800 plants were found. Fowler was
charged federally with manufacture of marijuana and illegal possession
of weapons. Fowler is currently incarcerated in Sacramento awaiting trial.

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*Special Events*
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*
1) Monday, June 26th, Palm Springs: Demonstration Calling on Mary Bono
to Vote for the Hinchey Amendment!*

A medical marijuana patient support group and law reform organization is
calling for a protest demonstration at the Palm Springs offices of U.S.
Representative Mary Bono. The Inland Empire based Marijuana
Anti-Prohibition Project is concerned that Rep. Bono will be voting
against an amendment that if passed, would help end the dichotomy
between state and federal law. The amendment, named Hinchey-Rorhabacher,
would essentially prohibit the DEA from arresting medical marijuana
patients in states where the medical use of marijuana has been approved.

Lanny Swerdlow, Director of MAPP, expresses his frustration with trying
to reach Rep. Bono's office. "Twice we have sent her office letters
regarding medical marijuana issues. The first letter was her vote last
year against the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment. The second letter asked
for her support of research funds to expand the study done at UCLA which
not only showed marijuana did not cause lung cancer, but showed the
possibility that marijuana might actually prevent lung cancer. Although
over 30 individual letters were sent to her office, she did not answer
one of them."

Similar frustrations were voiced by Ryan Michaels, a medical marijuana
patient advocate who, along with DEA victim Gary Silva, were in
Washington D.C. this week to meet with congressional offices on medical
marijuana issues and the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment in particular.
The reception was very good, according to Michaels, except at Rep.
Bono's office. "We meet with eleven congressional offices and the only
one who was not respectful of our concerns and treated us almost like
criminals was Rep. Bono's office and we live in her district."

The demonstration will take place at *12 noon** on Monday, June 26* in
front of Rep. Bono's office at *707 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way*. For
additional information, the public may call 760-799-2055.

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*
2) Thursday, June 29th, Los Angeles: Party Celebrating /Burning Rainbow
Farm/, by Dean Kuipers*

Los Angeles CityBeat, Café Club Fais Do-Do, Americans for Safe Access,
and Book Soup
invite you to a celebration of Dean Kuipers' new book,

*BURNING RAINBOW FARM*

The gripping true story of Michigan marijuana advocates gunned down by
the FBI and state police after a five-day standoff in 2001.

June 29, 7 pm to 10 pm

Café Club Fais Do-Do
5257 West Adams Bl., Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 954-8080
http://www.faisdodo.com

Street Parking
Books will be available

Café Club Fais Do-Do has beer, wine and a full kitchen.
Please reserve for dinner.

Stay for 11 PM performance by Widespread Panic
(requires a separate cover charge)


"An excellent look at the marijuana subculture, deluded or not, aspiring
to the Middle-American mainstream."
---Kirkus, starred review

"Superbly detailed characterizations and skillful pacing"---Publishers
Weekly, starred review

"Burning Rainbow Farm is a gripping cautionary tale of what happens when
the War on Drugs turns into a shooting war. More than that, Dean Kuipers
has given us a deftly reported glimpse into America's blue collar rural
stoner subculture -- and he's worth reading for that alone."
---Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch

"Read this book and weep."
---John Sinclair, White Panther Party founder and former manager of MC5

For more information please contact Laura Keefe, 646-307-5580,
laura.keefe [at] bloomsburyusa.com

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