Memo to Congress: DEA Dumped the “Gateway-Theory” Due to Science

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Americans for Safe Access | February 23, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for Safe Access, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring safe and legal access to medical cannabis for therapeutic use and research, has sent a memo to Congress informing members that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed false information about cannabis from its website after months of public pressure. The memo explains:

Forty-four states now allow patients under their physician’s care to use medical…

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Congressmen Form Bipartisan Cannabis Caucus

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Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Don Young (R-AK) have formed the Congressional Cannabis Caucus to develop and promote sensible cannabis policy reform and work to ease the tension between federal and state cannabis laws.

They represent constituents in four of the eight states that have enacted laws regulating cannabis for medical and adult use. Twenty additional states have enacted comprehensive medical cannabis laws, and 16 additional states have enacted limited or unworkable medical cannabis…

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Leading Reform Organizations Applaud Formation of Congressional Cannabis Caucus

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Marijuana Policy Project | February 16, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — The nation’s leading cannabis and drug policy reform organizations commended Congressional members Thursday on the formation of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Don Young (R-AK) formed the Congressional Cannabis Caucus to develop and promote sensible cannabis policy reform and work to ease the tension between federal and state cannabis laws.

They represent constituents…

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MJ advocacy group celebrates win over DEA ‘misinformation’

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Americans for Safe Access claimed partial victory over the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration when it announced the federal agency had removed “factually inaccurate information” and “damaging misinformation” regarding cannabis from its website.

The DEA removed information from its site that included “claims that cannabis was a gateway drug, caused irreversible cognitive decline in adults, and contributed to psychosis and lung cancer,” according to a news release Monday by ASA, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting medical…

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DEA Removes Marijuana Misinformation from Website After Months of Public, Legal Pressure

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Americans for Safe Access | February 13, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — After months of public pressure, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed factually inaccurate information from its website.

The change comes after Americans for Safe Access, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring safe and legal access to medical cannabis for therapeutic use and research, filed a legal request with the Department of Justice last year demanding that the DEA immediately update and remove factually inaccurate…

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100,000+ Demand DEA Stop Spreading Lies About Medical Marijuana

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Americans for Safe Access | January 18, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC — Over 100,000 people have signed an Americans for Safe Access petition on Change.org demanding that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) stop disseminating false information about medical cannabis immediately and ensure that all of their future information on medical cannabis treatment reflect medically-accurate, up-to-date facts.

View and sign the petition here.

Last year, Americans for Safe Access (ASA), a national nonprofit organization…

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Medical Marijuana Policy Roadmap: Solutions for State and Federal Law Conflicts

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Americans for Safe Access | December 8, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for Safe Access (ASA) on Thursday released a briefing book —“Medical Cannabis in America”— calling on Congress and the Obama Administration to end the conflict between federal and state governments on medical cannabis programs.

The report includes potential actions for President Obama to take during the lame duck session along with steps for the incoming Congress and President-elect Donald Trump.

ASA argues these suggestions would…

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New Petition Demands DEA Correct Misinformation About Cannabis

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Americans for Safe Access | December 5, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for Safe Access, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research, filed a petition with the Department of Justice (DOJ) today demanding that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) immediately update misinformation about cannabis.

The petition is being filed under the rules of the Information Quality Act (IQA, aka Data Quality Act), which requires administrative agencies to…

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Patient Advocacy Group Partners with Internationally-Recognized Accreditation Body

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WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) are excited to announce a collaboration to develop a cannabis specific laboratory accreditation program based upon the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 and ASA’ s Patient Focused Certification (PFC) Program.

This joint accreditation program will be recognized by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) by virtue of A2LA’ s status as an ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) signatory for the…

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Maryland Legislature Votes to Allow More Health Care Providers to Recommend Cannabis Therapy

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Maryland Legislature Votes to Allow More Health Care Providers to Recommend Cannabis Therapy

House Bill 104 allows licensed dentists, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwifes to recommend medical marijuana to their patients.

ANNAPOLIS, MD — One the final day of session in 2016 for the Maryland General Assembly, the Senate approved House Bill 104 by a vote of 36-10.

The bill expands the number of licensed health care providers who may recommend cannabis therapy to their patients under the Maryland Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission program.

The bill would still been to be signed by Governor Larry…

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South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham Lends Support to CARERS Act

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South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham Lends Support to CARERS Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham joined the bipartisan Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States (CARERS) Act (S. 683) as a co-sponsor this week.

The support of Senator Graham coincides with the one-year anniversary of the bill’s introduction by Senators Cory Booker (D-NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Rand Paul (R-KY).

The CARERS Act is the most comprehensive piece of medical cannabis legislation ever introduced in the U.S. Congress and would remedy the state-federal conflict over…

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ASA Releases New Report on State Medical Marijuana Programs

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With the release last year of the first detailed analysis and comparison of state medical marijuana laws, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) created a patient-focused tool to identify effective programs and problem areas. That groundbreaking report was followed by the release of ASA’s new, far more detailed report on state programs, which reflects the many new states that have added programs as well as others that have improved their existing programs.

Like the original report, this latest white paper enables advocates, policy makers and…

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ASA Report Evaluates Medical Marijuana Programs Nationwide

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ASA Report Evaluates Medical Marijuana Programs Nationwide

Patient Advocates Hope Report will Help State Legislators “Make the Grade” in 2016

WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for Safe Access (ASA) issued “Medical Marijuana Access in the US: A Patient-Focused Analysis of the Patchwork of State Laws,” on Tuesday. The annual report evaluates the array of differing state medical cannabis programs across the country from a perspective often overlooked in policy debates: the patients’ and provides policy makers with model legislation and regulations. With dozens of states already seeing legislative…

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ASA Urges California Cities and Counties to License Cannabis Cultivation

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The California Local Access Project provides resources and training for medical marijuana advocates

SACRAMENTO, CA — A national medical marijuana advocacy organization published a memo and model ordinance on Monday for California cities and counties recommending that they regulate the cultivation of medical marijuana instead of banning it.

The memo and model ordinance are part of project by Americans for Safe Access (ASA) to support patients and advocates fighting bans on cultivation and pushing for local licensing and regulation of medical…

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Mounting Pressure on DEA Head to Resign for Calling Medical Marijuana “A Joke”

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ARLINGTON, VA — Medical marijuana patients and supporters gathered Friday at DEA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, to hand in more than 100,000 petition signatures demanding the resignation or firing of DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg after he called medical marijuana “a joke.”

The petition, which was started only two weeks ago, has more than doubled the number of signatures on an earlier petition that helped prompt the ouster of Rosenberg’s predecessor, former DEA head Michele Leonhart.

After walking from the nearby site of…

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ASA Weighs in on Proposed Changes to Colorado Marijuana Regulations

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ASA Weighs in on Proposed Changes to Colorado Marijuana Regulations

Last week Americans for Safe Access (ASA) submitted comments to Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) on proposed regulatory changes to the state’s cannabis program.

Colorado is mulling changes in response to a number of developments, notably issues surrounding the accuracy of cannabis labeling and accidental of overexposure related to edibles. MED deserves praise for investigating emerging issues and promptly moving to address those issues while considering input in a public manner.

Colorado is an important state for medical…

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MD: ASA to Work with Regulators to Ensure Highest Level of Industry Compliance

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MD: ASA to Work with Regulators to Ensure Highest Level of Industry Compliance

BALTIMORE, MD — Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has been selected to provide training for compliance inspectors operating under the authority of the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission. The auditors are charged with ensuring members of the state’s new medical cannabis industry comply with all applicable regulations, which were finalized by the Commission in August. 

In addition to developing its own rigorous compliance protocols, Maryland has adopted the American Herbal Product Association’s (AHPA) Recommendations…

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ASA Debuts ‘Truth About Medical Marijuana’ Educational Series

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New Campaign Aims to Deepen Public Knowledge about Medical Marijuana

WASHINGTON, DC —  Americans for Safe Access (ASA) on Wednesday launched the “Truth About Medical Marijuana” educational website and accompanying event series.

The Truth About Medical Marijuana will focus on emerging issues in the area of medical marijuana, including understanding the research behind the medicine, emerging policies issues surrounding cannabidiol (CBD) and consumer safety issues.

During each of the next three months, event hosts will focus on these issues and prepare attendees to share that information with politicians and key decision makers, as well as providing tools to counter misinformation in the media.

“With the majority of Americans living in states that allow at least some kind of medical…

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Congressional Briefing to Highlight Need to Fix Research System for Marijuana

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Top Experts to Testify on Federal Restrictions Holding Back Medical Marijuana Research

WASHINGTON, DC — On Thursday, July 23rd Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is hosting a Congressional Briefing with Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) on federal barriers faced by researchers working to understand the medical uses of marijuana.

The briefing will provide expert testimony on how federal policy has undermined medical marijuana research, the state of  contemporary medical marijuana research and the impact of reform proposals.

Dr. Sue Sisley will present testimony on how federal barriers have directly blocked her research on using marijuana to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder including the adverse impacts of the Drug Enforcement Agency licensing only one entity — the National…

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Entering the Home Stretch for Medical Marijuana in California

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The California legislature has a full plate this year when it comes to medical cannabis

SACRAMENTO, CA — The California State Legislature will adjourn for their summer recess Friday, following a flurry of activity surrounding medical cannabis.

Legislative policy committees have approved at least eight bills that touch on almost every aspect of the issue. These bills are both good and bad for patients, providers, and others. However, they all share one common trait: they are moving easily through the process. After failing to adopt a significant medical cannabis bill since the Medical Marijuana Program Act in 2003 (SB 420), lawmakers are determined to pass bills this year.

Most of bills have passed easily through committee votes so far – some with no opposition at all.

Lawmakers will…

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ASA Testifies before DC Council on Medical Marijuana Reforms

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WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for Safe Access (ASA) this week submitted expanded testimony to the DC Council on Bill 21-192, the “Medical Marijuana Laboratory Testing Amendment Act of 2015” and  Bill 21-210 the “Medical Marijuana Reciprocity Amendment Act of 2015.”

These bills represent important steps towards modernizing the District of Columbia’s medical marijuana program. ASA supports both bills, but is seeking improvements to B21-210 to ensure adequate supply and address technical issues. ASA also asked the Council to add delivery and civil protections to the bill.

The Medical Marijuana Laboratory Testing Amendment Act would allow DC to finally have laboratory testing by third parties. This is an essential step for patients to have the confidence they deserve in their…

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Best Practices Advocated for Labeling, Manufacturing Marijuana and Hemp Products

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Groups convene in Washington, DC for third annual national medical cannabis conference March 27-31

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Cannabis Committee, in coordination with Americans for Safe Access (ASA), and the Hemp Industries Association (HIA), announces the release of a joint statement advocating for implementation of best practices for the regulation of consumable, topical, and inhalant cannabis and hemp-derived products to ensure quality and consumer safety.

These best practices were developed with the input of numerous industry experts and establish common language and defined terms for the transparent and accurate labeling of these products to support responsible commerce and informed use of the cannabis plant.

AHPA, ASA and HIA will be promoting…

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Medical Marijuana Advocates to Host 3rd Annual National Conference in Washington DC

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Scientists, patients, doctors, advocates, lawyers, policymakers unite to further advance public health policy reforms

WASHINGTON, DC — Medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) will hold its third annual national Unity Conference, “Wellness is Winning,” in Washington, D.C. on March 27-31, 2015.

The conference will highlight medical and legal experts, policymakers, and a wide array of workshops and panels focusing on scientific research, strategic planning, and skills building. On Tuesday, March 31st, ASA will host…

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Federal Judge to Hear Motion to Dismiss Thursday in Widely Watched Medical Marijuana Case

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Defendant Larry Harvey will argue that new Congressional measure forbids the DOJ from prosecuting his family

SPOKANE, WA — A motion to dismiss will be heard in federal court Thursday in a widely watched medical marijuana case involving a family from rural northeastern Washington State. Larry Harvey, 71, and other family members of the so-called “Kettle Falls Five” have moved for dismissal of their case, arguing that a recently enacted Congressional measure forbids the Department of Justice (DOJ) from prosecuting them.

“Prosecuting persons who may be operating in compliance with state medical marijuana laws prevents states from implementing their own laws,” reads one of the motions to dismiss written by Harvey’s attorney Robert Fischer. Harvey’s motion argues that state law…

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Defendant Moves for Dismissal in Widely Watched Federal Medical Marijuana Case

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SPOKANE, WA — A motion to dismiss has been filed in a widely watched federal medical marijuana case involving a family from rural northeastern Washington State.

Larry Harvey, 71, of the Kettle Falls Five has moved for dismissal of his case or an order preventing further prosecution. The motion relies on a recently enacted Congressional measure that bans funding for medical marijuana enforcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Prosecuting persons who may be operating in compliance with state medical marijuana laws prevents states from implementing their own laws,” reads the brief written by Harvey’s attorney Robert Fischer. Harvey’s motion argues that state law is undermined by discouraging lawful patients from accessing medical marijuana because of the threat of federal…

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