CA Senate Committee Urges New Federal Policy

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Dear ASA Supporter,

Yesterday, the California Senate Health Committee approved an ASA-sponsored resolution authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) calling on President Obama and the US Congress to make important changes in federal medical cannabis policy.

ASA is promoting Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 14 because the United States is at a historic crossroads. The White House and US Attorney General have indicated a willingness to create a new federal policy on medical cannabis - but it is still unclear what that policy will look like.

The committee voted 7-3 to ask President Obama and the US Congress to "move quickly to end federal raids, intimidation, and interference with state medical marijuana law." And SJR 14 goes further by asking the government to establish "an affirmative defense to medical marijuana charges in federal court" and to facilitate advanced clinical trials.

It is no accident that SJR 14 closely mirrors ASA's National Policy Agenda, which we distributed to the President and Members of Congress after Inauguration Day. Our effort to adopt SJR 14 is part of our campaign to comprehensively change federal medical cannabis laws. It is very important that we have the official support of the California Legislature while ASA works to build support for our agenda in Congress this year.

We still have work to do to pass SJR 14 in both houses of the California Legislature. Then, we need to take it to Washington, DC, and make it part of our federal campaign. Your support and participation have helped ASA get this far. Please make a special donation to ASA today to support our ongoing work. <ASA:Join ASA

Thank you for your help!

Don Duncan California Director Americans for Safe Access
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SJR 14: Harmonizing Federal Law with California Medical Marijuana Laws
Authored by Senator Mark Leno
June 9th, 2009

Senate Joint Resolution 14 urges the federal government to end medical cannabis raids in California and to "create a comprehensive federal medical marijuana policy that ensures safe and legal access to any patient that would benefit from it." California Senator Mark Leno (D-SF) introduced this Americans for Safe Access sponsored resolution in support of our national policy agenda.

If adopted, SJR 14 will be a major milestone in the effort to change federal medical cannabis policies!

The resolution calls for (1) an end federal raids, intimidation, and interference with state medical cannabis laws, (2) policies and laws to encourage advanced clinical research trials into the therapeutic use of cannabis, (3) an affirmative defense to medical cannabis charges in federal court, and (4) a comprehensive federal medical cannabis policy that ensures safe and legal access for patients.

On July 15, the California Senate Health Committee voted 7-3 in favor of SJR 14.

We have only a short time to get this resolution adopted this year. Please visit our online action center today to urge your California state senator to support support Senator Leno’s SJR 14.