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Medical Marijuana in the News - Week ending 10/28
ASA’s Summary of Articles in the Media

>  ASA ACTION: Suing Federal Agency for Safe Access
>  ASA IN THE NEWS: City Dispensing to Regs to Taxes
>  CITY vs FEDS: Santa Cruz Takes on Government
>  OREGON: Employee Rights Continues as Hot Topic
>  CALIFORNIA: Local Regs in Palm Desert, San Francisco and Willits

__________________________________________________
ASA ACTION: Suing Federal Agency for Safe Access
The stalling by the federal department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) is earning them a lawsuit. The rules for answering challenges to 
the underlying science of government claims – like the one about 
cannabis having no accepted medical use – are clear enough. Agencies 
must demonstrate that they are using sound science or correct their 
information and policies. HHS has had more than a year, but all they’ve 
produced are requests for more time. Clearly, if they could prove their 
claims, they would have.

Group Targets HHS with Medical Marijuana Lawsuit 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2792>
BBS News <http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20051027014205545>
In the continued push to resolve the state-federal conflict over medical 
marijuana laws, hundreds of patients and advocates rallied today at the 
Washington DC headquarters of the US Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) and six regional outposts, demanding that HHS head 
Michael Leavitt respond to rescheduling petitions and admit marijuana 
has medical use. Advocates also delivered “medical evidence” of 6500 
studies from medical journals demonstrating a multitude of medical uses 
for marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2792

__________________________________________________
ASA IN THE NEWS: City Dispensing to Regs to Taxes
Whatever the issue, if it affects medical cannabis patients, ASA is 
there to weigh in. These articles discuss harvest time on the north 
coast, local regulations in San Mateo County and San Francisco, the 
decision by Santa Cruz to up the ante on their lawsuit against the 
federal government, and a state decision to begin taxing dispensaries. 
ASA provided critical input on the tax plan and comment on the others.

San Mateo officials keeping hands off pot club regulation 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2799>
by Laura Ernde, Daily Review 
<http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/localnews/ci_3155998>
Pot clubs have popped up all over the Bay Area since the state legalized 
the drug for medical use, but San Mateo County has been largely 
untouched by the trend. California law allows patients or their 
caregivers to operate dispensing collectives or cooperatives, said 
Hilary McQuie, spokeswoman for the Oakland-based Americans for Safe Access.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2799

Santa Cruz OKs pot strategy <http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2798>
by Kathleen Sullivan, San Francisco Chronicle 
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/27/BAG7VFEO8D1.DTL>
The Santa Cruz City Council has voted to create a city department to 
distribute medical marijuana, a move city leaders hope will bolster its 
chances of winning a lawsuit that would legalize the use of medicinal 
pot. Hilary McQuie, communications director of Americans for Safe 
Access, said the group appreciates the position the Santa Cruz City 
Council has staked out.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2798

State to tax medical marijuana dispensaries 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2796>
by Brian Seals, Santa Cruz Sentinel 
<http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/October/27/local/stories/01local.htm>
The state approved a policy this week that opens the door for medical 
marijuana distributors to collect and pay state sales tax. At least one 
medical marijuana advocacy group, Americans for Safe Access, opposed the 
board's action, saying any dispensaries should be categorized as "health 
facilities" where medicine like marijuana would be exempt from taxation.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2796

The politics of pot <http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2794>
by Steven T. Jones and Ann Harrison, San Francisco Bay Guardian 
<http://www.sfbg.com/40/04/cover_potsb.html>
Everybody in San Francisco supports medical marijuana, but nobody wants 
to live next to a pot club. That's the simple – if overgeneralized – 
political truth now plaguing Sup. Ross Mirkarimi and others at City Hall 
who want to regulate the quasi-legal dispensaries that were 
proliferating in the city before a moratorium went into effect earlier 
this year.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2794

Green hills <http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2793>
by Ann Harrison, San Francisco Bay Guardian 
<http://www.sfbg.com/40/04/cover_pot.html>
Deep in the hills of Mendocino County, past three locked gates and up a 
winding dirt road, the trimmers at Green Mountain Farm are bringing in 
the harvest.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2793

__________________________________________________
CITY vs FEDS: Santa Cruz Takes on Government
The move by Santa Cruz officials to seek federal approval for a city 
office of cannabis distribution may seem slightly wacky, given the 
government’s steadfast refusal to acknowledge even its own research, but 
as a strategy, it may pay off. Ever since federal agents stormed the 
collective garden at the Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), 
city officials have sought ways to protect their citizens, even handing 
out cannabis themselves on the steps of City Hall. The city is currently 
suing the federal government, and this may be an attempt to gain more 
leverage in that action.

Santa Cruz Considers Opening Pot Office 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2790>
KRON 4 TV (SF) <http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=4034474&nav=5D7l>
The City of Santa Cruz is considering setting up an official office to 
distribute medical marijuana to patients who need it.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2790

Officials Vote To Create Medical Marijuana City Department 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2789>
NBC-11 TV <http://www.nbc11.com/news/5184938/detail.html>
Santa Cruz officials voted to create a city department to coordinate the 
dispensing of medical marijuana and vowed to fight federal drug 
regulators in court to win final approval.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2789

Santa Cruz approves public office to sell medical marijuana 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2786>
by Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle 
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/10/26/state/n094137D58.DTL>
Santa Cruz officials voted to create a city department to coordinate the 
dispensing of medical marijuana and vowed to fight federal drug 
regulators in court to win final approval.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2786

__________________________________________________
OREGON: Employee Rights Continues as Hot Topic
While employees’ jobs are generally protected in the case of illness or 
injury, with employers required by law to make suitable accommodation, 
the case of cannabis patients continues to be controversial. Federal 
protections for workers have been found by some courts not to apply due 
to the federal prohibition on cannabis, but state laws on disability and 
accommodation remain in effect.

Workshop for employers will address medical-marijuana use by employees 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2788>
by Michael Rose, Salem Statesman Journal 
<http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051026/BUSINESS/510260319/1040>
A free workshop for employers will look at the problems surrounding 
medical marijuana use by employees.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2788

Employers face issue of medical marijuana 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2787>
by Alex Paul, Albany Democrat-Herald 
<http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2005/10/26/news/local/news02.txt>
The number of Oregonians carrying a medical marijuana card is growing 
each year and more than ever, employers are finding themselves walking a 
fine line between their companies’ drug use policies and Oregon law.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2787

__________________________________________________
CALIFORNIA: Local Regs in Palm Desert, San Francisco and Willits
Patients won a victory in Palm Desert, but suffered a setback in 
Willits. In San Francisco, debate over regulations continues, even 
though Supervisors say they are unanimous in their support of patients. 
Nonetheless, SF’s hold on new locations has had the unintended 
consequence of shutting one of the oldest and most respected 
dispensaries, which needs to move after losing its lease to developers.

Palm Desert council votes to keep medical marijuana sales legal, for now 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2801>
KESQ - TV <http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4042106&nav=9qrx>
The sale of medical marijuana will continue in Palm Desert, at least for 
now. The Palm Desert City Council voted last night to allow a clinic 
here to stay operational.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2801

Medical pot advocates sway council to hold ban 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2800>
by K Kaufmann, The Desert Sun 
<http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051028/NEWS01/510280334/1006>
Rumors of a medical marijuana dispensary in Palm Desert were made flesh 
Thursday night as Stacy Hochanadel, the dispensary's owner, addressed 
the City Council during an emotional session in which it shelved a 
proposed ban on dispensaries.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2800

ACT UP/SF loses lease, pot club to close 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2797>
by Zak Szymanski , Bay Area Reporter 
<http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=282>
It may please some local AIDS advocates who still harbor bitter memories 
of the group, but to the medical marijuana clients of ACT UP/San 
Francisco, news that the organization has lost its lease at 1884 Market 
Street is cause for concern.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2797

Last-Minute Appeal Delays Passage Of SF Marijuana Legislation 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2791>
Fox Reno News <http://www.foxreno.com/news/5177283/detail.html>
A last-minute appeal has temporarily halted the passage of San 
Francisco's first set of medical marijuana regulations, delaying a final 
vote on the legislation until Nov. 15 at the earliest.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2791

Willits outlaws outdoor pot growing: Patients threaten suit 
<http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2795>
by Claudia Reed, Ukiah Daily Journal 
<http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/Stories/0,1413,91%7E3089%7E3104164,00.html>
An ordinance prohibiting outdoor growing of marijuana within city limits 
was unanimously adopted at the Oct. 12 city council meeting.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2795

___________________________________________________________
FOR MORE MEDICAL MARIJUANA NEWS
Previous News Summaries from Americans for Safe Access are archived. The 
complete text of all these articles and more is available by clicking 
the links on the article name or the news source, as well as at the ASA 
website, safeacccessnow.org. You can also see the latest news for the 
week by selecting "News Articles" under the Press Room menu.


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