A National Strategy to Secure Safe Access for Every American 2010-2012

Jim Finnel

Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
ASA'S ROADMAP TO WIN SAFE AND LEGAL ACCESS

With the barriers to safe and legal access to medical cannabis crumbling all across the United States, a historic opportunity now exists to win access for every American. While the current political landscape for medical cannabis is more favorable than it has ever been, we are at a crossroads. Many of our victories could be rolled back with a new Administration, millions of Americans still do not have safe and legal access. Patients and their providers continue to go to federal prison and lose their businesses, homes, savings, children, and their freedom. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has the reputation, leadership, expertise, and compelling mission to build the federal framework that will bring safe and legal access to all Americans by 2013.
ASA'S MISSION IS SAFE ACCESS FOR PATIENTS

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. ASA works to overcome political and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, grassroots actions, advocacy, and services for patients and their providers. ASA has over 30,000 active members, with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states.

Medical cannabis patient and Executive Director Steph Sherer founded ASA in 2002 in response to paramilitary style federal raids on patients in California. Ever since then, ASA has been instrumental in shaping the political and legal landscape of medical cannabis. Our successful lobbying, media, and legal campaigns have led to positive court precedents, compassionate legislative and administrative polices, and created a political space for safe and legal access.

ASA protects the rights of cannabis patients. We are working to change federal policy to meet the immediate needs of patients as well as create long-term strategies for safe access and programs that encourage research.
WHY ASA IS LEADING THIS CAMPAIGN

ASA was born in 2002 for the purpose of building a strong grassroots movement to protect patients and their rights to safe and legal access. ASA works on the frontlines with patients and their providers, and is best suited to articulate and anticipate the needs of this constituency. In 2002, the national debate centered on the legality and ethics of arresting and prosecuting patients for cannabis usage. By bringing the patient's voice to the table, we shifted the debate to the real concerns of patients: access and patients' civil rights.

Medical Marijuana patients advocating for their own needs are the most effective advocates to pass and implement medical cannabis laws. That is why ASA makes training and skill building a priority in our work. ASA is a clearinghouse for legislative proposals and educational information and works to empower a vibrant and active field.

ASA has the reputation, leadership, expertise, mission, and record of success to win safe and legal access nationwide.

Reputation - ASA's mission allows us to bring new allies and partners into the struggles for safe and legal access to medical cannabis issues. Our reputation for clear information, "issue defining" reports, and providing the patient's voice in every debate, is unparalleled. ASA is highly respected by our allies, our constituents, and elected officials, as well as by opposition groups.

Leadership - Executive Director Steph Sherer is the foremost international leader and expert in medical cannabis advocacy. Her leadership has brought together an exceptional staff, prominent volunteer leaders, and thousands of patient activists nationwide.

Expertise - ASA is the acknowledged international leader in grassroots organizing, medical cannabis information, and legal advocacy for patients.

Compelling Mission - ASA's mission to guarantee safe and legal access to medical cannabis for therapeutic and scientific purposes is the single, clear focus necessary to implement new laws and force federal action.

History of Success - ASA has built a grassroots movement more than 50,000 strong with activists in all 50 states, and hundreds of cities nationwide. We've helped thousands of patients navigate the legal system, conducted hundreds of training for tens of thousands of patients and advocates, and organized more than 2,000 meetings with elected officials. We've generated 200,000 calls to Congress and, in the last year alone, ASA has generated more than a thousand stories in the media.
ASA has filed suit with the federal government, as well as some of the largest enforcement agencies in the country, including the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Motor Vehicles. ASA has been highly successful in compelling elected officials to adopt and implement regulatory ordinances so that dispensaries in more than 40 cities and counties have protection and legitimacy under local law.
Spreading access - The work that ASA has done to help establish and implement local regulatory laws on dispensing medical cannabis has led not only to safe and legal access for hundreds of thousands California patients, but also to the passage of additional state distribution programs modeled after California. The dispensary model that was formed in California is now the example by which states such as Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Rhode Island have begun to address the need for safe access through systems of centralized distribution.
Forcing states to follow states law - ASA has been instrumental in litigating impact court cases in California that make clear local and state governments' obligation to uphold state, not federal, law. In landmark decisions such as City of Garden Grove v. Superior Court and San Diego County v. San Diego NORML, both litigated by ASA, the courts ruled that federal law did not preempt officials from upholding local or state medical cannabis law. The landmark ruling in Butte County v. Superior Court, also litigated by ASA, won new rights for patients who can now sue in civil court if their rights as medical cannabis patients are violated. The California Supreme Court and the US Supreme court refused to revisit these cases making them final, which gives a strong "persuasive authority" for similar protections to be established in other states. ASA ensured that policy makers can no longer hide behind federal law and must implement regulations that ensure access.
Law enforcement policies - ASA has helped forge new law enforcement policies at the local, state, and federal levels. Specifically, because of ASA's work to establish landmark court decisions in California, local police departments across the state have developed policies that ensure compliance by their officers. In addition, because of the lawsuit against the California Highway Patrol, the state's largest police department has adopted a reasonable law enforcement policy that stands as an example for other agencies to follow. Lawsuits filed by ASA not only have forced the California Highway Patrol and Department of Motor Vehicles to change their policies, shaping a more tolerant and law-abiding environment for patients, but also have influenced the public health policies of other states. At the federal level, ASA worked closely with the U.S. Department of Justice to help craft an enforcement policy, which has signaled a change in the federal approach to medical cannabis. This Justice Department directive has paved the way for several states to adopt distribution programs, which had previously been condemned and attacked by previous Administrations.
Active field - ASA has over 50,000 supporters and 23,000 activists nationwide. In the last four months, four new ASA Chapters have started in California, two in Maryland, and another is forming in Colorado. ASA is focusing its resources on building an even stronger nationwide network of activists.
Defining the debate - With ASA's strong political and legal victories, ASA plays an influential role in focusing the debate on patient issues. For example, we often shift media coverage away from a law enforcement problem to safe access as a public health issue. This is exemplified by state laws and distribution programs being implemented by Departments of Public Health and the federal petition to reschedule medical cannabis, to which ASA is a party, currently before the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). ASA is also redefining the debate with its lawsuit against HHS for disseminating public information discordant with the scientific evidence of cannabis's medical efficacy. We will compel the federal government to concede that cannabis has medical value, which will be the greatest change in cannabis policy in many generations.
Bringing the voice of patients to the federal government - ASA opened its National Office in Washington, DC in 2006 to articulate the needs of patients, doctors, and scientists on Capitol Hill and help broaden support in Congress, executive agencies and national institutes for safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA's experience building coalitions with the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA), AIDS Institute, and AIDS Action helped defeat antimedical cannabis measures in the US Senate in 2007-2009. These major victories highlight ASA's ability to build the coalitions needed to win by creating a unified strategy between organizations that share a constituency.

ASA is well positioned to lead this campaign to win because it has built the assets that are needed, including over 50,000 nationwide activists and extensive programs and services for medical cannabis patients, reaching thousands of people each month. Over and over again, ASA's proven leadership in building grassroots campaigns, combined with aggressive landmark legal intervention, has provided real and lasting access for patients.

ASA has won in California, now has a strong presence in Washington, DC, and is ready to build a stronger field across the US. to win safe and legal access nationwide.
WHY YOUR INVESTMENT IN GRASSROOTS IS NEEDED

Fourteen years of experimenting with state-based medical cannabis laws has made one thing clear: the adoption of state laws is the first step in a lengthy and often expensive process intended to meet the legitimate needs of individuals who might benefit from the therapeutic use of cannabis. Some states have taken nearly a decade to enact legislation designed to correct the shortcomings of early victories, ensure access, and guarantee the protection of patients' rights. However, in other states, patients are still waiting for programs that meet their needs.

The policymaking process continues long after a law has been adopted by a state legislature or citizen initiative, and usually includes the development of rules and regulations that will dictate how these various programs will operate. A multiplicity of factors can affect the successful implementation of a state medical cannabis law, including legislative intent, administrative capacity, political support, and interest group activity. While the adoption of new laws may be challenging, ASA believes that the true test of success is whether those laws are properly implement-ed, and the patient community has achieved safe and legal access.

The implementation of state-wide medical cannabis laws is especially challenging for a number of reasons. First, and most notable, is that administrative agencies are forced to create and enforce regulations that arguably conflict with federal law. Second, statewide medical cannabis laws continue to be laboratories of democracy in our federalist system - and sometimes these experiments fail. And finally, the process by which many of these laws have been adopted exclude the development of and participation by a local grassroots movement. As a result, policy makers usually do not feel an urgency to implement until there is a perceived emergency, and often do not understand the impact of compromise language.

Thirty years of intransigence by federal authorities has resulted in the patchwork of state laws that underlies our strategy for moving forward. Insofar as the overwhelming majority of arrests and prosecutions for cannabis-related activity occur at the state and local level, these Compassionate Use laws offer significant protection to the patients. However, considerable disparities exist among the state laws. For example, California's Compassionate Use Act leaves determination about the use of cannabis to the professional judgment of physicians, but other states narrowly restrict the use of cannabis to a list of specific medical conditions. Theses narrow lists sometimes exclude serious and chronic illnesses for which research has shown cannabis may be helpful. Several state laws provide civil protections for qualified individuals, but in many states individuals who use or provide medical cannabis continue to suffer pervasive discrimination in employment, child custody, housing, health care, public accommodation, and the like. A few states have even established production and distribution systems to ensure qualified individuals have access to medical cannabis from licensed distributors, while patients in other states are forced to acquire or grow cannabis on their own. However, because medical cannabis possession, production, and distribution remain illegal under federal law, patients and their providers remain vulnerable to federal raids, arrest, and prosecution and have no defense in federal court or remedy for the loss of property or freedoms.

The necessary and proper implementation of state medical cannabis laws and regulation of dispensing collectives has been frustrated by federal interference, including hundreds of enforcement raids and the deployment of a variety of intimidating tactics (asset forfeitures, threats to landlords, bank account closures) designed to disrupt the operation of valid state or local laws that enjoy popular support. Even where local officials and governments were in good faith seeking to regulate access to cannabis, the federal government chose interference.

But, this practice is beginning to change. Last year, the Obama Administration issued written guidelines to U.S. Attorneys discouraging the prosecution of patients and providers who are in compliance with existing state laws. These guidelines are an important step in the right direction and a welcome departure from the policies of previous Administrations. Of course, much more needs to be done to ensure that all patients who might benefit from medical cannabis have access to it.

Our traditional opposition is aware of this subtle change, and they have responded by becoming more sophisticated in how they address the federal conflict. These opponents seldom deny that cannabis has therapeutic benefit any more; instead they have reframed their approach to the issue. Our opponents now argue that these state medical cannabis laws "seriously undercut our Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approval system and deprive patients of important regulatory protections. Such a result will defeat the Administration's avowed desire to support and follow the results of sound science."

While we understand that medical cannabis advocates have mixed views about the role of the FDA in the regulation of medical cannabis, we are concerned that opposition arguments are beginning to resonate within Administra-tive channels and our champions in Congress. If we don't start framing the federal solution and building political capital, our opposition will provide that frame for us, and we stand to lose everything we have worked for in the various states.

Ultimately, changing federal law will be required for patients to receive the protections they deserve and for states to create the laws necessary to control and regulate the distribution of cannabis for therapeutic use. It has been suggested that the adoption of medical cannabis laws in a majority of states will facilitate a change in federal law. However, the reality is that this logic does not reflect the experience of the past or the present. For example, between 1978 and 1997, thirtyfive states and the District of Columbia passed laws recognizing the medical use of cannabis. (These symbolic laws did not establish legal protections but called for a review in federal scheduling.) Unfortunately, since 1996, under the leadership of both political parties, we have not seen an overwhelming number of Representatives from these state Congressional Delegations championing reform on Capitol Hill.

In conclusion, medical cannabis patients and their care providers must have a voice, invested interest, and ownership in the development of the laws and regulations that impact their health and safety. Through listening to their needs, empowering their belief in political change, and working beside them to implement practical solutions, real progress can be made that generates a more diversified financial support. Cultivating a thorough understanding of the complex realities "on the ground" is the key to catalyzing empowerment and collective action. Until ASA talked about access, the national debate around medical cannabis was about criminal justice issues. That reflected a small part of the experiences that patients were having. We cannot create good policy without looking at the patient's life in totality. That is what ASA has brought to this movement, and that is what ASA can bring to the country.

Simply passing state legislation surrounding medical cannabis is not enough to create the needed environment to facilitate permanent and sustainable changes in the federal law. The development of a strong and dynamic national grassroots infrastructure is necessary. The presence of a grassroots movement is critical to ensure full and proper implementation of state laws. Furthermore, passing inadequate medical cannabis laws takes advocates' attention away from federal lobbying as they must spend much of their time and resources in courts clarifying unconstitutional language, and in state legislatures cleaning up hastily passed laws.

OUR STRATEGY TO WIN
AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS

ASA knows that meaningful legislation is passed when the grassroots has a trained voice, and that our elected officials will follow the movements we build for them. ASA also knows that a well-trained grassroots creates paramount access to power for its leaders. ASA has always invested in movement building and grassroots organizing. Our staff provides leadership, expertise, and direction to those who share our mission. Through outreach, various trainings, and strategic planning, we strive to give patients the tools they need to become empowered advocates for the changes they seek. The following is a plan to move our issue forward, shape a political landscape that will allow us to retain our victories, and build the movement we need to win.
FEDERAL CAMPAIGN 2010-12

While support for medical cannabis is as strong as ever in the United States, the issue remains a small niche in national politics, especially for legislators in states that have passed medical cannabis laws. ASA urgently needs to build support in Congress to stop threats from our opponents, and to move forward with our legislative agenda. To be successful, this agenda requires grassroots advocacy. We must invest in a movement that can hold Congress accountable and build allies that can carry out our goals. The recent statement from the DOJ on medical cannabis enforcement is only the first step from this Administration. It is time now to take advantage of our current momentum and establish policies that protect patient's rights and bring safe access to the nation.
GOALS
Pass comprehensive federal legislation
Change federal polices to protect patients' rights
Open avenues for research
Change scheduling of cannabis to recognize medical use
2010 OBJECTIVES
Engage administration on HUD, VA, banking, and rescheduling issues
Develop relationships in district offices of Tier 1 targets
Develop comprehensive federal legislation
Broaden medical cannabis coalition
Hold congressional hearing about the Truth and Trials Act
2011 OBJECTIVES
Host DC lobby day
Develop relationships in district offices of Tier 2 targets
Introduce legislation
Continue to engage administration on HUD, VA, banking, and rescheduling issues
Broaden coalition for safe access
2012 OBJECTIVES
Host DC lobby day
Pass comprehensive medical cannabis legislation
Develop relationships in district offices with Tier 3 targets
Broaden coalition for safe access
Engage in presidential campaigns
WORK PLAN 2010-2012
Grow Congressional and Senate Support for Medical Marijuana.

ASA's National Office, located in Washington, DC, helps to broaden support for medical cannabis on Capitol Hill, within executive agencies and national institutes. Over the course of the next three years, ASA will be implementing a strategy to increase relationships with medical cannabis advocates and their federal representatives. This will include targeted outreach, citizen lobbying trainings and developing materials for ongoing meetings such as our quarterly federal newsletter. Beginning in 2011, ASA will begin hosting national lobby days in Washington, DC.
Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Justice Oversight

ASA will be working with Members of Congress to ensure that DEA and other agencies within the Department of Justice explain how they intend to execute the policy guidelines enumerated in the Deputy Attorney General's memo, and we will be aiming to hold these officials accountable to the provisions of the memo. This will include participating in oversight hearings and confirmation hearings of key staff.

ASA will also engage the DEA and DOJ on policies that were not covered in the Deputy Attorney General's memo, such as banking issues, asset forfeiture, and breaking the monopoly on cannabis available for research.
Revitalize the Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis and Achieve Rescheduling

ASA believes that cannabis fails to meet the Controlled Substances Act criteria for Schedule I substances. Worse still, placement on Schedule I has stifled cannabis research by adding unnecessary complexity, limitation, and expense to clinical evaluation.

A national medical cannabis policy requires the removal of cannabis from Schedule I, and ASA is among those leading the fight to reschedule cannabis in accordance with scientific consensus and common sense. ASA has been engaging Congressman Waxman and Senator Feinstein to put pressure on the current rescheduling petition and, as a signer of the petition, is considering litigation.
Change HUD Policy

Finding safe, affordable housing can be very challenging for individuals who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes. In fact, medical cannabis patients who use cannabis are at risk of losing public housing benefits, in some cases for life! ASA will lead the fight to restore housing rights for patients and their family members who act in strict accordance with their state compassionate use law.
Change Department of Veterans Affairs Policy

ASA is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals who use medical cannabis, including the U.S. veterans who have fought for and earned those rights. Together with former service men and women and with the support of national veterans organizations, ASA will fight to ensure veterans are not denied any right or privilege for using cannabis in accordance with a physician's recommendation or their own state law. We intend to generate more compassionate legislation and VA policies concerning veterans' access to cannabis for therapeutic use.
Develop Comprehensive Federal Legislation

The necessary and proper implementation of state compassionate use laws will require some understanding and cooperation with the federal government. ASA's goal is to develop a national policy that acknowledges the medical value and use of cannabis in the United States, ensures safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use for every American who might benefit from it, and advances medical and scientific research. This will include a process of reaching out to key stakeholders to gain insight and reach consensus on a path forward.
Broaden National Coalition for Safe Access

Fortunately, the issue of medical cannabis shares a constituency with other national health care advocacy efforts that are significantly more influential on the national stage. Condition-specific advocacy organizations representing those suffering from HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and age related conditions are among the largest in the country, representing millions of organ ized and influential voters. There is an intu itive overlap between the agendas of national health care advocacy groups and ASA's goals. Coalitions are the cornerstones of creating successful and lasting change. ASA will continue to lead the development of a national coalition to ensure safe access to cannabis for therapeutic use and encour age research through expanding the number and types of organizations that sign on to our federal policy agenda, adopt our goals, and participate in our campaigns.

Strategic Communications Members of the media, elected officials, policy makers, and our constituents depend on ASA to articulate the critical role and needs of patients in this burgeoning movement, as well as the events that impact their lives. ASA will continue its work as the patients' voice, helping to win and publicize hard-fought landmark court decisions and legislative victories, framing the debates, responding to opponents, and setting the agendas in order to get lasting results.
STATE CAMPAIGNS FOR SAFE ACCESS 2010-12

ASA initiates and supports ground-breaking grassroots campaigns to implement medical cannabis laws in a manner that meets the needs of patients, pass legislation that creates safe and legal access nationwide, and recruit Senate and Congressional Champions for medical cannabis issues.
GOALS
Create the field necessary to pass federal, state, and local legislation
Implement medical cannabis laws in a manner that meet the needs of patients
Pass meaningful legislation that creates safe and legal access in key states
2010 OBJECTIVES:
Work with grassroots in medical cannabis states to create strategic implementation plans
Build and train field to support Senate and Congressional campaigns
Host national activist workshop at the Patients Out of Time Conference
Prioritize implementation support, litigation, and resources
2011 OBJECTIVES:
Work with grassroots in medical cannabis states to implement plans
Work with grassroots in new medical cannabis states to pass new legislation
Build and train field to support Senate and Congressional campaigns
Prioritize new legislative efforts across the country
2012 OBJECTIVES:
Work with grassroots in medical cannabis states to implement plans
Work with grassroots in new medical cannabis states to pass new legislation
Build and train field to support Senate and Congressional campaigns
WORK PLAN 2010-2012
Create Strategic Planning and Policy Shop

While state medical cannabis laws vary tremendously, the needs of patients remain consistent across the nation. Due to ASA's successful legal strategy, policy makers in medical cannabis states cannot hide behind federal laws and are struggling to implement laws to regulate safe access. Furthermore, the change in the national consciousness that supports the needs of patients encourages states to pass new medical cannabis laws. The need for accurate and authoritative information on crafting laws for patient access is growing daily. While many regulations look good on paper, their impact can be detrimental to the patients they seek to help.

Using ASA's extensive publication list on state laws, we will tailor already existing reports and guides to provide clear information to policy makers, patients, and advocates in all medical cannabis states. This information will help define issues locally so that the laws passed will provide patients the safe and legal access they need, and prior errors will not be repeated in new states. This new ASA program will conduct strategic planning for state groups, develop state and local regulatory guides, review and amend legislation as needed, and develop targeted messaging for local campaigns. ASA has been informally fulfilling this role for the movement for the past eight years but with the spread of access, ASA has identi fied a need to fully fund this work.

Targeted Field Outreach and Development

With so many initiatives occurring around the nation, a special team of experienced medical cannabis organizers are needed to work intensively in specific states to win access. ASA staff has vast experience in media relations, political strategy, grassroots organizing, and building alliances with key partners to win. This team will develop momentum in targeted states through high-profile events and actions, while bringing strong patient leadership and grassroots organizing techniques to the campaign. All activities will build an ongoing base of support for federal action.

Through ASA's Chapter, Ambassador, and Affiliate programs, activists and organizations work together to build a vibrant and self-sustaining community of advocates. Using ASA's online action alert system, the ASA Ambassa-dor program empowers individual local activists nationwide to become spokespeople for safe access. The ASA Chapter program enables groups of medical cannabis activists to come together under the ASA banner to plot strategy, receive staff guidance, and push campaigns on safe access issues. ASA's Field program helps activists understand the relationship between federal, state, and local laws, and empowers them to articulate the larger vision of changing federal law. The Field program hosts trainings on advocacy, develops exceptional patient spokespeople, and generates substantial citizen lobbying.
Impact litigation

ASA's success in winning precedent-setting litigation has fundamentally paved the way for safe access nationwide. The careful development of the ASA legal strategy hasled to the changing of policy in the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and established key legal protections concerning return of seized property. In addition, ASA impact litigation has established that federal preemption does not exist; local governments must implement state medical cannabis law. Impact litigation must expand to all medical cannabis states to guarantee safe access. ASA legal expertise is highly respected, and because of its litigation success, particularly effective in influencing changes in the practices of government entities without going to trial. Through our strategic planning process, ASA will help advocates in medical cannabis states identify the opportunities for impact litigation and the ASA Legal Department will assist advocates in drafting briefs and in identifying plaintiffs.
Strategic Educational campaigns

In states and regions where there is little current hope of a legislative action for safe access, ASA will initiate educational campaigns targeted to key groups of doctors, legislators, and health professionals to build core support for future action.
AMERICAN FOR SAFE ACCESS FOUNDATION

The ASA Foundation is dedicated to educating patients, medical professionals, scientists, and concerned citizens about safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. The ASA Foundation operates needed programs that provide critical information and services to patients and those working with patients. These programs include:
PATIENTS' RIGHTS PROJECT

ASA Foundation's Patient's Rights Project creates, protects, and expands the rights of medical cannabis patients through direct support, education, organizing of attorney support, and monitoring and collection of data. Our Legal Hotline provides free information to activists, patients, attorneys, legislators, and doctors, on a multitude of topics including: cannabis possession, cultivation, analysis of legislation, law enforcement encounters, medical uses, finding medicine, federal and state law, and locating a doctor or attorney.

ASA lawyers give thousands of consultations with Public Defenders and private attorneys to assist with defense strategies. ASA's legal program also helps patients with civil and return of property filings related to wrongful citations and arrests. ASA gives information to defendants to organize their own court support, and trains lawyers to better represent medical cannabis clients.

ASA gathers data on medical cannabis incidents to help guide our national political strategy, determine areas for impact litigation, and to improve services. This data includes: law enforcement encounters, raids on dispensaries, housing issues, probation and parole issues, employment incidents, child custody, bank account closures, professional license denials, revocation of drivers license, veterans issues, and health or other insurance incidents.

ASA's legal services program also provides support to activists who are working with local governments to implement medical cannabis regulations.
PATIENT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

ASA Foundation provides thousands of pages of free information every day to patients, caregivers, and doctors. ASA Updates, Alerts, and Publications are the "go to" source for authoritative information on topics including: becoming a patient, cannabis as medicine, resources for talking to your doctor, and guides to the specific legal issues affecting patients in cities, counties and states.

Our publications include: the monthly Activist Newsletter, Federal Policy Quarterly, frequent national and local alerts, special reports, and more. These publications build a reasonable, logical case for patient access and educate medical cannabis patients and doctors as to their rights and responsibilities under state law. ASA also hosts a range of patient trainings on medical cannabis history, law enforcement encounters, and services to patients.
CANNABIS IS MEDICINE

Increasing the quality and quantity of scientific research on the efficacy of medical cannabis for the treatment of a rapidly expanding list of conditions is a key ASA goal. ASA's Medical Advisory Board is achieving important victories in compiling and releasing compelling medical cannabis research and gaining historic policy changes in organizations such as the American Medical Association.
RESOURCES FOR ORGANIZERS

At the local, state, and federal levels, ASA Foundation builds strong grassroots campaigns to expand safe access to medical cannabis. ASA's Field program empowers activists in all 50 states to advocate for the adoption of laws and regulations that better enable patients to get the medicine they need.

ASA's Chapter, Ambassador, and Affiliate programs enable activists and organizations to work with ASA staff on campaigns for safe access. Through each of these programs, concerned activists and organizations participate in monthly conference calls and receive staff guidance as they focus their efforts on tangible goals.

The ASA Ambassador program empowers individual local activists nationwide to become spokespeople for safe access. Through the ASA Chapter program, groups of medical cannabis patients join together under the ASA banner to educate elected officials and the broader community, receive staff guidance, and support one another. Other organizations and groups frequently join with ASA under the ASA Affiliates program, which enables them to collaborate with ASA for maximum effectiveness.

The ASA Field program gives activists the information, training, and support necessary to have a major impact in local, state and national campaigns. Through ASA Chapters, regular activist support calls, and our action alerts received by over 24,000 people, ASA is the most effective force for grassroots-led implementation of medical cannabis access in the United States.
ASA'S LEADERSHIP STAFF
STEPH SHERER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As the founder of Americans for Safe Access, Executive Director Steph Sherer has become the foremost international leader and expert on medical cannabis patient advocacy. Her highly acclaimed strategic skill in keeping patients needs at the forefront of the medical marijuana debate has brought safe and legal access to medical cannabis to millions of Americans. Steph is a medical cannabis patient with over fourteen years of experience servicing and managing non-profit businesses and community organizations. She is an experienced strategist, trainer, fundraiser, and organizer. During her career, she has worked with community development, education, social justice, human rights, labor, peace, social change, and youth programs. She is a forceful advocate, a skilled spokesperson, and an energetic initiator of campaigns.

As the founder of ASA, she has built a powerful organization by bringing together an exceptional staff team, prominent volunteer leaders, and thousands of patient activists nationwide. She has created the strategic framework for ASA, and, in addition to harnessing the resources to implement her vision, she participates in the organization as a patient spokesperson, an organizer and trainer, and a powerful lobbyist for patient's rights. Steph is an international leader and expert in medical cannabis advocacy who aids in drafting legislation and advises governments around the globe on medical cannabis policy. She has been a guest lecturer at University of California, Berkeley and George Washington University, DC.
JOE ELFORD, CHIEF COUNSEL

A 1996 graduate of Yale Law School, Joe served as a law clerk for the Honorable Vaughn Walker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, before working in criminal defense. After assisting in all facets of the highly publicized trial of Edward Rosenthal and his subsequent appeal, Joe joined ASA in 2003 as Chief Counsel.

His landmark accomplishments at ASA include a 2005 civil action that compelled the California Highway Patrol to revise its policy regarding the seizure of medical cannabis from qualified patients, and a 2009 action that changed the California Department of Motor Vehicles' policy of revoking drivers' licenses of qualified medical cannabis patients. Also, Joe secured published decisions protecting the rights of patients in Garden Grove v. Superior Court, San Diego v. NORML, and County of Butte v. Superior Court, which affirmed that federal law does not preempt California's medical cannabis laws, enable patients to secure the return of their medicine and state civil causes of action against police who act unlawfully.

Joe has argued for patient employment rights before the California Supreme Court, and, in case still pending, against local dispensary bans before a state appeals court. He was author and counsel for ASA's ground-breaking Data Quality Act petition, which would compel the federal Department of Health and Human Services to acknowledge that cannabis has a currently accepted medical use in the US; that case is pending in federal appeals court. Joe has also trained public defenders throughout California on how to defend medical cannabis patients.
DON MORGAN, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Don has a passion for providing exceptional services and programs that change people's lives for the better. He brings to ASA a broad background in non-profit management, consulting, ministry, coaching, and community organizing. For over 13 years, he has served as an Executive Director for nonprofit organizations serving seniors, youth, families, and persons with disabilities. Recently he tripled the size of an in-home respite organization employing over 400 persons that serves thousands of families in six California counties. As president of the California Respite Association, he led a highly successful statewide political campaign.

Don is an experienced fundraising professional and has assisted many organizations with strategic planning and organizational development. He is a professional speaker, educator, and facilitator, having given over 200 public speaking presentations. Don holds a BA in Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz, an MA degree in Philosophy, and is an ordained minister with the Centers for Spiritual Living.
CAREN WOODSON, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

For more than seven years, Caren Woodson has worked on medical cannabis issues. During that time she has advised decision makers at all levels of government about how to implement and regulate medical cannabis laws.

In her capacity as Director of Government Affairs for ASA, Caren played an integral role in the drafting of San Francisco's ordinance that permits and regulates medical cannabis distribution centers. She has organized defeat of federal legislation that put in jeopardy state medical cannabis laws. In addition, she has created a coalition of medical, scientific, and patientadvocacy organizations to advocate for safe access to cannabis for therapeutic use and re-search to better meet the immediate needs of patients, medical professionals, and researchers.

Caren holds a Masters in Public Policy from The American University in Washington, DC and received her in B.A in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While completing her education, she sought out political work any way she could - volunteering on state and local campaign races, interning with the Nevada Democratic Caucus and Coordinated Campaigns, serving as a Nevada State Elections Board Officer during the 1998 and 2000 elections, and working briefly in Washington, DC for the National 4-H Council.
DON DUNCAN, CALIFORNIA DIRECTOR

Don Duncan has served on the Board of Directors since he co-founded American for Safe Access in 2002. As California Director, he is coordinating the grassroots and grasstops campaign to fully implement the states medical cannabis laws, respond to federal interference, and build a broader and more powerful coalition for medical cannabis in California. Don was instrumental in galvanizing grassroots resistance to federal raids and in seeding local self-regulatory alliances for medical cannabis providers statewide. He has worked closely with elected officials, law enforcment, collective operators, and community members in local implementation efforts in several California cities and counties, and is currently working with lawmakers in Sacramento to adopt legislation to expand patient rights.

Don co-founded one of the oldest and most reputable families of medical cannabis dispensing collectives in California, helping to open legal facilities in Berkeley, West Hollywood, and Los Angeles. He is a leading medical cannabis consultant and has been featured in major media coverage, including 60 Minutes, Dan Rather Reports, Retirement Living TV, and the Los Angeles Times.
LAUREN PAYNE, LEGAL COORDINATOR

True to her closely held ideals, Lauren Payne has invested most of her adult life in serving those without a voice. She continues in her quest to change the world as ASA's Legal Services Coordinator.

Lauren's dedication comes with experience from all corners of the country, giving her a unique geographic and cultural perspective. Her initial professional experience in the field of medical cannabis came from working with MAPS in several capacities relating to the current federal research blockade.

Lauren holds a JD from New England School of Law and a BA in Social Psychology from New College of Florida. Her other professional interests range from feminist legal theory to felon rights restoration.

Source: ASA : A National Strategy to Secure Safe Access for Every American 2010-2012
 
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