ASA CA Weekly Alert

**ASA Chapter Meetings
**
1) Thursday, July 20th, Guerneville: Sonoma ASA Meeting
2) Saturday, July 22nd, Modesto: Central Valley Patients Coalition Meeting
3) Tuesday, July 25th, San Francisco: SF ASA Meeting
4) Wednesday, July 26th, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting
5) Thursday, July 27th, Sacramento: Sac ASA Meeting
**
City & County Hearings
**
6) Monday, July 17th, El Cerrito: City Council to Vote on Banning
Dispensaries
7) Tuesday, July 18th, Redondo Beach: City Council to Vote on Extending
Dispensary Moratorium
8) Tuesday, July 18th, Lakeport: Lake County Board of Supervisors to
Consider Banning Outdoor Cultivation
9) Thursday, July 20th, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County Planning Commission to
Consider Dispensary Ordinance
**
Court Support
**
10) Monday, July 17th, Sacramento: Court Support for Bryan Epis

*Special Events*

11) Monday, July 17th, San Francisco: Town Hall on Medical Cannabis
**
**
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*ASA Chapter Meetings*
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*1) Thursday, July 20th, 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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*2) Saturday, July 22nd, Modesto: Central Valley Patients Coalition Meeting*

Hello all,
I just wanted to send out a bit of a more detailed reminder for the
meeting on July 22, at 1:00pm for the CVPC. The location for the meeting
will be held at 4213 McHenry Ave #F in Modesto, CA 95354.
We would like to go over local and current issues at the meeting, one
of the most important being the safety of our patients, and getting one
of our areas best fighters for compassion and patients rights, our
acting-President, Michael O'Leary. As our publicist Shirley Cox
mentioned in a previous email, we will also be discussing and going over
rough drafts to start a "Letters To the Editor" campaign. The CVPC would
like to encourage those that are able, willing and that have the drive
and desire to do so, to please bring a copy of your own letter and/or
some ideas to add to ours. After the discussion and review, there will
be a vote to choose which 2 or 3 "templates" to send and what papers to
send them to. Shirley will be making and sending the copies.
The CVPC will also be setting up our goals for the year, as well as
way to implement those strategies. Some of these will include short-term
goals, ie: ways to help to re-open The Healthy Choice (THC) and that
it's owners and volunteers are not wrongfully prosecuted. As well as the
long-term goals; securing the safety of patients rights in our area and
continuing the membership and growth of the CVPC.
Finally, we will be discussing ways to ensure support for Michael and
the THC for his court date on August 15th, 2006 between 1-1:30pm at the
Modesto Superior Courthouse.
We do hope that those patients that can and are able, do make it out
to Modesto to attend our meeting on the 22nd.

Best regards and wishes to all,

Darian Burnham
Secretary CVPC
Modesto, CA
JollyD_CA [at] yahoo.com <mailto:JollyD_CA [at] yahoo.com>

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*3) Tuesday, July 25th, 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 Tony: (415) 283-7404

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*4) Wednesday, July 26th, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting*

Join East Bay ASA to make strategic plans for the rest of the year to
ensure safe access in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties! We will be
distributing complaint forms aimed at Oakland to change the city's
dispensary ordinance and discussing follow-up steps for this campaign.
Advocates who will have attended the El Cerrito hearing on dispensaries
will report back on the meeting, and we will be discussing the new
Alameda County ID card program. As always, we welcome you to add further
issues effecting patients to this agenda.

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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*5) Thursday, July 27th, 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.

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**City & County Hearings**
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*
6) Monday, July 17th, El Cerrito: City Council to Vote on Banning
Dispensaries*

El Cerrito currently has a moratorium on new dispensaries but recently
voted to ban dispensaries. They will be having a second vote on the
issue and need to hear from their constituents. 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
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?list=type&type=212> on dispensary
regulations, moratoriums & bans.

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*7) Tuesday, July 18th, Redondo Beach: City Council to Vote on Extending
Dispensary Moratorium*

The Redondo Beach City Council has enacted a moratorium and will be
voting to extend it.

If you are a patient or advocate in the area, please go to speak out
against the extension of this moratorium. For talking points, click
here: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/moratorium.talking.points.pdf

Please join us in protecting safe access!

5:00p.m. Redondo Beach City Council Chambers 415 Diamond St

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*
8) Tuesday, July 18th, Lakeport: Lake County Board of Supervisors to
Consider Banning Outdoor Cultivation*

Lake County is considering banning outdoor cultivation of medical
cannabis. Please attend this hearing and speak out against this ban -
show support for patients and safe access!

10:30 a.m.

LAKE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
255 NORTH FORBES STREET
LAKEPORT, CA 95453

Talking Points:

o It is reasonable for the Lake County Board of Supervisors to have
concerns about medical cannabis cultivation. Until now, there has been
relatively little or no regulation. However, such concern must be
weighed against the needs and limitations of patients and their caregivers.

o Banning outdoor cultivation of medical cannabis is unacceptable.
Such restriction places an excessive, and unjustifiable economic burden
on patients and/or their caregivers.
o Indoor growing equipment is expensive, in some cases
prohibitive.

o Banning outdoor cultivation significantly limits the quantity of
supply of medication available to patients, patient caregivers, patient
collectives, and cooperatives.

o State law, specifically SB420, permits patients to cultivate their
own medicine. Regulation of medical cannabis cultivation must comply
with both the letter and spirit of state medical marijuana laws.

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*9) Thursday, July 20th, Santa Rosa: Sonoma County Planning Commission
to Consider Dispensary Ordinance*

The Planning Commission will be holding a hearing on the first draft of
Sonoma County's ordinance regulating dispensaries. Please come show your
support for safe access!

1:35p.m.

Permit and Resource Management Department
2550 Ventura Avenue Santa Rosa

For more information, call Sonoma ASA at 707.332.6556.

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

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*Court Support*
****
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*10) Monday, July 17th, Sacramento: Court Support for Bryan Epis*

Status hearing at 9:30am before Judge Frank C. Damrell, Jr. in U.S.
District Court, 15th Floor at 501 "I" Street in Sacramento. Bryan was
the first medical marijuana patient convicted in federal court after the
passage of California's Proposition 215. Bryan was arrested June 25,
1997, after Butte County sheriff's officers discovered marijuana plants
growing in the basement of his home in Chico. Bryan was released on bail
August 9, 2004, pending his appeal. He currently awaits resentencing by
the District Court.

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*Special Events*
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*11) Monday, July 17th, San Francisco: Town Hall on Medical Cannabis*

Sponsored by Axis of Love San Francisco and The Harvey Milk Club

Monday, July 17, 2006 -- 7 pm

at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center
1800 Market St., San Francisco

This meeting will provide the opportunity to discuss issues and concerns
San Francisco residents have around medical cannabis and dispensaries in
San Francisco, and to work on solutions together. Representatives from
patient organizations and dispensaries will speak there,
and neighborhood groups have been invited to take part. There will be
an opportunity to form break-out groups. Refreshments will be served.

axisoflovesf [at] gmail.com <mailto:axisoflovesf [at] gmail.com>

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