ASA California Roundup: July 17, 2009

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California Senate Committee Urges New Federal Policy on Medical Marijuana

On Wednesday, the California Senate Health Committee voted 7-3 on on a joint resolution that urges the federal government to end medical marijuana raids in the state and to "create a comprehensive federal medical marijuana policy that ensures safe and legal access to any patient that would benefit from it."

Americans for Safe Access sponsored Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 14 and worked hard to build support for the resolution. It was introduced in June by State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). SJR 14 comes at a time when the Obama Administration has signaled a willingness to change federal policy, but has yet to come forward with an actual implementation plan.

For more details: California Lawmakers Urge New Fed Medical Marijuana Policy

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Sacramento Passes Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

The Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday night to place a 45-day moratorium on medicinal marijuana dispensaries in the city while officials explore stricter regulations on the businesses. Under the emergency ordinance, passed unanimously, no new dispensaries will be permitted to open, and those businesses already open will be prohibited from expanding.

According to critics, the moratorium was backdated nearly a month, creating a "grey area" of legality for dispensaries that opened between June 16th and July 14th, the day the ordinance took effect. Several dispensary representatives testified that the new law made their operations illegal, even though they had opened before the moratorium was voted on.

From the Sacramento Bee: Sacramento Approves Pot Dispensary Moratorium

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Take Action Icon Chapter and Affiliate Meetings

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Saturday, July 18th -- Los Angeles: ASA Meeting When: 1pm

Where: Patient ID Center 470 S. San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 (at Drexel, between Wilshire &
3rd St.) For more info, contact: Don@AmericansforSafeAccess.org

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Tuesday, July 21st -- Sacramento: ASA Affiliate Compassionate Coalition Meeting

7pm @ Crusaders Hall
320 Harris Avenue, Suite H in Sacramento For more info, contact: Nathan@compassionatecoalition.org

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Tuesday, July 28th - San Francisco: ASA Meeting
(corrected from prior email)

7:30pm @ Bowzer's Pizza, 371 11th St in San Francisco For more info, contact dcgoldman@yahoo.com

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Tuesday, August 11th - San Diego: ASA Meeting

7:00-8:00 p.m. @ 6070 Mt. Alifan Suite 202 in San Diego For more info, contact 4cccp@cox.net <mailto: 4cccp@cox.net

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Government Icon City and County Hearings

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Wednesday, July 22nd -- Alameda County Considers Ordinance for Unincorporated Areas

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be having the 2nd special meeting regarding the new medical marijuana ordinance for the unincorporated areas of the county: Ashland, Cherryland, Castro Valley, Fairview and San Lorenzo.

What: Alameda County BOS special meeting When: 6:30 pm, July 22, 2009 Where: San Lorenzo Village Homes Association, 377 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo, CA

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Patients Rights Icon Court Support

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*Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 -- Trial for Steele Smith*

On November 1, 2007, the DEA raided the home of Steele Smith, operator of C-3 Collective in Garden Grove, and seized around
350 marijuana plants. At the same time, DEA agents raided C-3 Collective and the home of Alexander Valentine, where agents seized over 1,000 marijuana plants in various stages of growth. DEA agents arrested Steele Smith, his wife Theresa Smith, Alexander Valentine and Dennis Lalonde, all of whom face charges of conspiring to manufacture at least 1,000 marijuana plants.

Trial is currently set for August 4th, but is likely to be continued.
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*Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 -- Ken Hayes Sentencing*

Ken Hayes was arrested in Feb 2002, after the DEA raided the Harm Reduction Center in San Francisco. Hayes faced the charge of conspiring to grow more than 1,000 marijuana plants, but was in Canada at the time of his indictment and remained out of the country until late 2008. On April 29, 2009, Hayes pleaded guilty to maintaining a building where marijuana was distributed and filing a false tax return.

Hayes' sentencing will take place in front of Judge Breyer's Court: Courtroom 8, 19th floor in the San Francisco Federal Building located at
450 Golden Gate Avenue (between Polk and Larkin Sts.) in San Francisco, CA.