ASA California Weekly Alert: August 10, 2007

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*Weekly Round-Up*
1. a. Federal Court Update
b. Mendocino County Takes Steps to Maintain Safe Access
c. Pleasanton Human Services Commission Calls for Medical Cannabis
Need Assessment

*Take Action
*2. a. Donate to the Free Charles Lynch Fund
b. Sign Up for Instant Raid Alerts

*ASA Chapter and Affiliate Meetings*
3. Sunday, August 12, Birds Landing: Solano Patients Group Meeting
4. Tuesday, August 14, San Francisco: San Francisco ASA Meeting
5. Tuesday, August 14, San Diego: San Diego ASA Meeting
6. Wednesday, August 15, Willits: Mendocino ASA Meeting
7. Wednesday, August 15, Newport Beach: Orange County ASA Meeting
8. Wednesday, August 15, Arcata: ***First Humboldt County ASA Meeting***
9. Saturday, August 18, Los Angeles: Los Angeles ASA Meeting
10. Wednesday, August 22, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting & Raid Response
Training
11. Thursday, August 23, Clearlake: Lake County ASA Meeting

*City** and **County** **Hearings*
12. Thursday, August 16, Seaside: City Council to Vote on Dispensary Ban
13. Tuesday, August 14, Marysville: Yuba County Board of Supervisors
Hearing on Medical Marijuana ID Card Program
14. Tuesday, August 14, Santa Barbara: City Council to Discuss Medical
Cannabis Dispensary Regulations
*
Court Support*
15. Tuesday, August 14, Sacramento: Federal Status Hearing for Dr.
Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer
16. Friday, August 24, Sacramento: Federal Resentencing Hearing for
Bryan Epis


*Special Events*
17. Saturday, August 11, Fresno: Safe Access Now and Hemp Shack to Host
Fresno Organizing Meeting
18. Saturday August 11, Los Angeles: The First Occasional Los Angeles
Cannabis Comedy Festival
19. Wednesday, August 15, Los Angeles: WAMC March to City Hall
20. Thursday, August 16, Riverside: Public Demonstration in Downtown
Riverside

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Weekly Round-Up CA

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*1. *a. Federal Court Update
b. Mendocino County Takes Steps to Maintain Safe Access
c. Pleasanton Human Services Commission Calls for Medical Cannabis
Need Assessment


/ a. Federal Court Update
/
With the resurgence in DEA attacks on patients and providers there
continues to be numerous tragic victims in the war on patients. The
following are updates on patients and providers with federal trials:

*Dr. Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer*

El Dorado County medical marijuana physician and breast cancer patient
Mollie Fry and her husband, attorney Dale Schafer, were arrested as a
result of a September 28, 2001 raid on their clinic in Cool, California,
in which patient records were seized. After the Raich decision, on June
22, 2005, Fry and Schafer were indicted for marijuana found on the
premises during the raid. In 2002, the federal government also
successfully revoked Fry's DEA license to practice medicine, but Dr. Fry
remains a licensed physician in the state of CA.

Their trial began on August 1, 2007, with Jeffrey Lichter appearing for
Fry, and Tony Serra representing Schafer. As this is a federal case, the
judge has been instructing the jury to ignore all references to medical
marijuana. Currently, the U.S. Attorney is presenting the federal case,
and Mr. Serra is in the midst of cross-examining the first witness. Fry,
Schafer, and Serra have been appearing with Christine Craft after court
on 1240AM, 5-6pm, online at http://www.1240talkcity.com
. Please contact: coolstuf [at] comcast.net
for information on a possible courthouse
demonstration, and for more info, visit http://www.docfry.com
. See */Court Support/* for more information on
their next court date.

For information on the most recent court proceedings, please see Vanessa Nelson's
report:
http://www.medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/content/view/128/.


*John Moreaux*/

/John C. Moreaux, the operator of West Hollywood Caregivers on Santa
Monica Boulevard, is facing federal charges after his dispensary was
raided by federal agents twice this year, in January and once in
March. This week, Moreaux pled not guilty to the DEA's charges of
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; possession
with intent to distribute marijuana; possessing a firearm in furtherance
of drug trafficking; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and
maintaining a drug premises.

Read about Moreaux in the Daily News
.
/
/ /b. Mendocino County Takes Steps to Maintain Safe Access/

Congratulations to ASA's Mendocino Chapter and other activists and
supporters in Mendocino County! The Board of Supervisors passed an
ordinance calling for the county to honor the voter's wishes as
specified in measure G and to keep the guidelines at 25 plants per
patient. The Board of Supervisors rejected the Criminal Justice
Committee's recommendation to lower the County's limits to 6 mature and
12 immature plants. Great work ASA and affiliated activists and
supporters! Thank you for your hard work and commitment to safe access.


/ c. //Pleasanton// Human Services Commission Calls for Medical
Cannabis Need Assessment/

Pleasanton has taken the first steps towards safe access. Pleasanton
Human Services Commission has asked council staffers to approach Alameda
County to work to design and implement a blind survey of medical
cannabis ID card holders. Pleasanton City Council voted earlier this
summer to ban medical cannabis dispensaries. Despite that decision,
several City Council members have asked that the city assess the need
for medical cannabis and dispensing collectives. This is an important
step forward for Pleasanton and Alameda County residents.

To read more about the Human Services Commission's request for a survey,
click here.



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Take Action raid

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*2. *a. Donate to the Free Charles Lynch Fund
b. Sign Up for Instant Raid Alerts

*/a. Donate to the Free Charles Lynch Fund

/*On July 17th, 2007, Charles C. Lynch was indicted for operating the
Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay. Charles C. Lynch
has become yet another victim in the DEA's war on patients. Charles
Lynch's dispensing collective, the Central Coast Compassionate
Caregivers provided safe and legal access for patients in Morro Bay.

*_This innocent, law abiding, compassionate man needs your help!_/

/*At the present time Charles C. Lynch has a public defender. What he
really needs is a medical cannabis lawyer. Any donation you can make
will be greatly appreciated. *Anyone wanting to help can contact Gina
Armstrong at (805) 288-4000*. Thank you for all your continued support
and encouragement.
*/

b. Sign Up for Instant Raid Alerts/*

The DEA's increasing attacks on patients and providers in California
needs to be combated. Medical cannabis patients, providers, and
supporters need to organize together to prevent, stall, and bring
attention to the federal government's raids on dispensary collectives
and providers in medical cannabis states. ASA has developed a real-time
emergency response service that alerts supporters of local federal raids
while they happen. Sign up for this service now by visiting
http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/RaidAlert
.

To learn more about ASA's Raid Emergency Response Campaign and for
instructions on what to do in case of a raid, please visit
http://www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/EmergencyResponse
. If you have
questions or need further information please contact Sonnet:
Sonnet [at] AmericansforSafeAccess.org
.


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ASA Chapter and Affiliate Meetings Activist

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*3. Sunday, August 12, Birds Landing: Solano Patients Group Meeting
*
Please join Solano Patients Group's fight for safe access in Central
California. At this meeting we will be discussing current events
including the recent federal activity in California and what we can do
to be to increase safety and access for patients in Solano County.

All medical cannabis supporters are welcome!

When: Sunday, August 12th @ 3:00 pm
Where: 2145 Collinsville Road in Birds Landing

For more info, call (707) 720-7593


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*4. Tuesday, August 14, **San Francisco**: **San Francisco** ASA Meeting

*Please join us at the upcoming San Francisco ASA meeting. We will be
giving briefings on the recent hearing last week, the DEA protest last
Friday, and we will be looking at what's on to the horizon for medical
cannabis issues in San Francisco.

The next ASA SF meeting will be held on Tuesday August 14th from 7:30 to
9:00 p.m.

Where: Bowzer's Pizza
371 11th St
San Francisco , CA 94103


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*5. Tuesday, August 14, San Diego: San Diego ASA Meeting

*The San Diego City Council recently voted to file an Amicus Brief
supporting California's medical cannabis law. Please come find out what
this means for safe Access in San Diego.

When: Tuesday, August 14, 7:00-8:00pm
Where: Twiggs Coffee House
4590 Park Blvd.
In the Green Room
.

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*6. Wednesday, August 15, Willits: Mendocino ASA Meeting

*Please join us at our Mendocino ASA August meeting. We will be
discussing the Board of Supervisors meeting and what our next actions
will be to protect medical cannabis cultivation and access in Mendocino
County.

When: August 15, Wednesday, at 6:00
Where: Herban Legends, 18300 Old Coast Hwy, Fort Bragg, CA

For more information contact Sonnet [at] AmericansforSafeAccess.org



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*7. Wednesday, August 15, Newport Beach: Orange County ASA Meeting

*Orange County ASA's recent victory of convincing the Board of
Supervisors to implement the state ID card program is a step towards
safe access. Please join us to discuss implementation of the program,
recent events, and other important medical cannabis issues facing us in
Orange County.

When: July 11th @ 7:00pm
Where: Law Offices of WENTWORTH, PAOLI & PURDY, LLP
4631 Teller Avenue, Suite 100
Newport Beach, CA 92660

For more information, contact Bill: OCLawyer [at] aol.com



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*8. Wednesday, August 15, Arcata: ***First Humboldt County ASA Meeting****

Humboldt County ASA (Americans for Safe Access) will hold its inaugural
monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 15 at 7pm at Mosgo's coffee house
in Arcata. At the meeting we will discuss Humboldt ASA's mission and
goals, plan for future actions and get to know each other. This meeting
will mark a new chapter in the local medical marijuana movement; we hope
to see you there!

WHO: Humboldt County ASA
WHAT: Monthly Meeting
WHEN: Wed., August 15, 7pm
WHERE: Mosgo's coffee house in Arcata (Westwood Shopping Center off
Alliance Rd.)
WHY: To organize to fight for patients rights in Humboldt County.
HOW: Through dedication and compassion...

Please email David at Humboldtasa [at] gmail.com
with any questions or concerns. All
patients and supporters are invited!


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*9. Saturday, August 18, **Los Angeles**: **Los Angeles** ASA Meeting*

This meeting will have a special focus on non-violent civil disobedience
and strategic planning in response to the crisis in LA. Please invite
your friends and loved ones. The meeting is not at a collective and the
venue is 100% accessible. Visit http://www.ASAaction.org for directions.

When: Saturday, August 18, 1pm - 3pm
Where: 470 S. San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA
(Cross Street is Drexel, between Wilshire & 3rd St.)

For more information, call Chris: (323) 464-7719


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*10. Wednesday, August 22, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting & Raid Response
Training * *

*At, this month's meeting we will hold a training on what to do in case
of a raid and will design a community emergency response plan in case of
a DEA raid in the Bay Area. We encourage all Bay Area activists to
attend this important meeting! We need to develop a coherent emergency
response plan that we could activate at a moment's notice.

Please join us! Refreshments will be served.

When: Wednesday, August 22nd @ 7 pm

Where: Americans for Safe Access Headquarters
1322 Webster Street, Suite 402, Downtown Oakland
Just a couple blocks from the 12th Street BART station!

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


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*11. Thursday, August 23, Clearlake: **Lake** County ASA Meeting

*Please Join Lake County ASA's Clearlake meeting this month. We will be
planning our Lake County fair tabling session, covering recent
California campaigns, and talk about the latest federal medical cannabis
campaigns. All medical cannabis supporters are welcome!*
*
When: August 23rd: 6:00pm
Where: D&M Compassion Center, 15196 Lakeshore Dr., Clearlake


For Additional information, contact Donna: LakeCoASA [at] msn.com



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City and County Hearings hearings

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*12. Tuesday, August 14, Santa Barbara: City Council to Discuss Medical
Cannabis Dispensary Regulations

*Next Tuesday, two Santa Barbara Council members will ask the City
Council if there needs to be dispensary regulations. Please come out
and show your support for medical cannabis and safe access to medicine.
Please contact Jennifer if you plan on attending the hearing:
jenniferln [at] gmail.com .

Download ASA talking points
on dispensary
regulations, moratoriums and bans.

When: August 14 at 2:00pm
Where: City Council Chambers
City Hall
735 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, CA


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*13. Tuesday, August 14, Marysville: Yuba County Board of Supervisors
**Hearing on Medical Marijuana ID Card Program*
*
*Yuba County Board of Supervisors will be formally receiving Safe Access
Now's written request to schedule a hearing on the implementation of the
medical marijuana ID program. Currently, the Yuba County Department of
Public Health has no plans to implement the state mandated program
without direction from the Board of Supervisors. In order to protect
Yuba's medical marijuana patients and move the county into compliance
with state law, the board must grant our request to place the ID program
on a future agenda and then direct staff to move forward with the program.

If you live in Yuba County, please call the board at (530) 749-7510 and
urge them to support implementation of the medical marijuana ID card
program in Yuba County (tell the operator the city you live in and ask
them to direct you to your supervisor).

In addition to calling the board members, it's crucial that patients and
supporters of the program attend and speak at next week's meeting in
Marysville. With your help, we can compel Yuba County's leaders to do
the right thing and vote to protect patients from arrest.

Talking points supporting the medical marijuana ID card program can be
found here: http://ca.mpp.org/talkingpoints.html

Meeting details:

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 10:00AM
915 Eighth St.
County Admin. Center, Board Chambers
Marysville, CA 95901
map: http://tinyurl.com/2v5pjk

For more information, contact Aaron Smith at (707) 575-9870 or
safeaccessnow [at] gmail.com


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*14. Thursday, August 16, **Seaside**: City Council to Vote on
Dispensary Ban

*Please come out and show your support for safe access in Seaside. On
August 16th, the Seaside City Council will hear a second reading of an
ordinance, which will ban dispensaries in the city. The Seaside City
Council needs to know about the importance of safe access. Please attend
the hearing.

Download ASA talking points
on dispensary
regulations, moratoriums and bans.

When: Thursday, August 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: City Hall located at 440 Harcourt Ave. Seaside, CA

For more information, contact Sonnet: Sonnet [at] AmericansforSafeAccess.org



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Court Support court support

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*15. Tuesday, August 14, Sacramento: Federal Status Hearing for Dr.
Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer

*Please come out and show your support for Dr. Mollie Fry and Dale
Schafer. As you have read in the Round-Up, Dr. Fry and Schafer are
facing federal prosecution. For more information on the trial visit
http://www.docfry.com

When: Tuesday, August 14 at 1:30pm
Where: The Courtroom of Judge Frank C. Damrell, Jr.
U.S. District Court (E.D., CA), 15th Floor
501 "I" Street, Sacramento, CA


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*16. Friday, August 24, Sacramento: Federal Resentencing Hearing for
Bryan Epis

*Bryan Epis was the first medical marijuana patient convicted in federal
court after the passage of California's Proposition 215. Epis was
arrested June 25, 1997, after Butte County sheriff's officers discovered
marijuana plants growing in the basement of his home in Chico. Epis was
released on bail August 9, 2004, pending his appeal, and is currently
awaiting his re-sentencing by the District Court. See Vanessa Nelson's
article
for more info.

When: Friday August 24 at 10:00am
Where: Courtroom of Judge Frank C. Damrell, Jr.
U.S. District Court (E.D., CA), 15th Floor
501 "I" Street, Sacramento, CA

For more information contact Sonnet: Sonnet [at] AmericansforSafeAccess.org



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Special Events special events

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*17. Saturday, August 11, Fresno: Safe Access Now and Hemp Shack to Host
Fresno Organizing Meeting

*On Saturday, August 11, Safe Access Now and the Hemp Shack will be
hosting a meeting to help local medical cannabis patients effectively
advocate their local government.

Fresno County is not working to implement state law by implementing
California's medical marijuana ID card program and, due to a lack of
medical cannabis dispensaries in the area, many local patients are
forced into the black market to obtain their medicine.

Please attend this important meeting to learn how you can help turn
Fresno County around and protect local patients from arrest.

When: Saturday, August 11, 4:00-6:00 PM
Where: Round Table Pizza (private meeting room)
5040 N. West Avenue (@ Shaw)
Fresno, CA
93711-2901

Map: http://tinyurl.com/yohf85

Pizza and soft drinks will be provided. For more information, contact
Aaron Smith at Safe Access Now: (707) 575-9870 or
safeaccessnow [at] gmail.com


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*18. Saturday August 11, **Los Angeles**: The First Occasional **Los
Angeles** Cannabis Comedy Festival
*
What: A fantastic benefit comedy show for ASA. This show has been
produced in SF for the past 10 years, and one in Sacramento for about 5
years, and now it is coming to LA!!!

Featured Comics: Garrett Morris, Greg Proops, Ngaio Bealum, Jefferey
Peterson, Rich Chassler and many more!
Music by the Luchadoors and DJ Ill Media.

Proceeds to benefit Americans for Safe Access

Ticket cost: $15.00

When: Saturday, August 11. Show stats at 9pm sharp.
Where: Downtown Comedy Club, Los Angeles

For more information, contact: info [at] AmericansforSafeAccess.org



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*19. Wednesday, August 15, **Los Angeles**: WAMC March to City Hall
*
WHAT: Women Advancing Medical Cannabis Symbolic March to City Hall
WHEN: August 15th at 9:00am
WHERE: 255 E. Temple Street (Edward R. Roybal Federal Building),
Downtown Los Angeles
WHY: Safe access isn't going anywhere on our watch.

WHO: Women Advancing Medical Marijuana are concerned patients who are
dedicated to the further enrichment of the Medical Cannabis community
and survival of safe access for all patients. We are your mothers,
sisters, daughters and partners; we seek to merge these traits into the
minds of those who know not what a 'patient is'.

We urge all interested parties to march alongside us - be they in
wheelchairs, walkers, canes or in need of someone to lean on while we
make our way up to City Hall. How you 'march' is how you feel, and it shows.

For more information, visit http://www.wamcla.org. To RSVP e-mail:
march [at] wamcla.org .


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*20. Thursday, August 16, Riverside: Public Demonstration in Downtown
**Riverside**
*/From Summer Glenney/*

*Attention all local patients! Join us at a Public Demonstration in
Downtown Riverside.

There is a public demonstration on Thursday August 16th from 4PM to 6PM
on Lime St. between University and 10th St. We hope to have enough
people to span both intersections.

We will be having a funeral procession to essentially "lay safe access
to rest" here in the IE. The public demonstration will be in mourning &
preparation for those patients in the Inland Empire who have been left
to die or waste away with no medicine. It is in mourning of those
patients who will soon become non-functional once again because they
have to manage their pain with prescription drugs.

Please dress in black and try to bring a candle as this will also be a
candlelight vigil. You may also wish to bring any posters or signs you
feel would be appropriate. Bring any Halloween decorations symbolizing
death (i.e. Skeletons, headstones etc.) because that's what Riverside
County & the County DA has essentially prescribed the patients by going
against their doctors recommendation and taking away their medical
cannabis.

Remember to mark your calendars for Thursday August 16th from 4-6PM so
that you can attend our public demonstration on Lime St in Riverside
between University Ave. and 10th St.

--

Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access
AmericansForSafeAccess.org

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based
organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and
concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for
therapeutic use and research.

Join us today... AmericansforSafeAccess.org


Headquarters
1322 Webster St Suite 402
Oakland, CA 94612
P: 510-251-1856 ext. 321 F: 510-251-2036