Americans for Safe Access
Encyclopedia
Americans for Safe Access is based in Oakland, California
and is the largest member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens working to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis
for therapeutic uses and research. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) works in partnership with state, local and national legislators to overcome barriers and create policies that improve access to medicinal marijuana for both patients and researchers. ASA has over 30,000 active members with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states.
ASA provides legal training for and medical information to patients, attorneys, health and medical professionals and policymakers throughout the United States
. They also organize media support for court cases, rapid response to law enforcement raids, and capacity-building for advocates. Their successful lobbying, media and legal campaigns have resulted in important court precedents, new sentencing standards, and more compassionate community guidelines.
The mission of Americans for Safe Access is to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for therapeutic uses and research.
Medical cannabis patient and current Executive Director Steph Sherer founded ASA in 2002 in response to federal raids on patients and providers in California. Ever since then, ASA has been instrumental in shaping the political and legal landscape of medical cannabis. Their successful lobbying, media, and legal campaigns have led to positive court precedents, new sentencing standards, more compassionate legislative and administrative polices and procedures, as well as new legislation.
ASA has achieved much in its short existence, including:
See Full List of Accomplishments
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
and is the largest member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens working to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
for therapeutic uses and research. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) works in partnership with state, local and national legislators to overcome barriers and create policies that improve access to medicinal marijuana for both patients and researchers. ASA has over 30,000 active members with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states.
ASA provides legal training for and medical information to patients, attorneys, health and medical professionals and policymakers throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They also organize media support for court cases, rapid response to law enforcement raids, and capacity-building for advocates. Their successful lobbying, media and legal campaigns have resulted in important court precedents, new sentencing standards, and more compassionate community guidelines.
The mission of Americans for Safe Access is to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for therapeutic uses and research.
Medical cannabis patient and current Executive Director Steph Sherer founded ASA in 2002 in response to federal raids on patients and providers in California. Ever since then, ASA has been instrumental in shaping the political and legal landscape of medical cannabis. Their successful lobbying, media, and legal campaigns have led to positive court precedents, new sentencing standards, more compassionate legislative and administrative polices and procedures, as well as new legislation.
ASA has achieved much in its short existence, including:
- ASA successfully filed suit against California Highway PatrolCalifornia Highway PatrolThe California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
(CHP), the largest law enforcement agency in the state, compelling CHP to stop confiscating patients’ medical cannabis and otherwise comply with the mandates of Proposition 215.
- ASA has worked with elected officials to enact sound ordinances regulating medical cannabis dispensing collectives (dispensaries). Currently, 24 cities and 7 counties have given dispensaries protection and legitimacy under local law.
- ASA has turned the tide of media bias and indifference with a professional, proactive media strategy, making medical cannabis a major story nationwide and has generally worked to frame the national discourse on medical cannabis issues.
- ASA has provided outreach services to countless collectives, including legal training, peer counseling, and media spokesperson training.
See Full List of Accomplishments
External links
- Radio interview with Joe Elford, Staff Attorney for Americans for Safe Access. (Soapbox Derby on KALX-FM, January 24, 2008)