ASA Sues California DMV

Americans for Safe Access Sues California Department of Motor Vehicles, Asserts Patient Discrimination

Last week, Americans for Safe Access filed suit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of a woman whose license was revoked simply because of her status as legally qualified to use medical cannabis. 53-year old Rose Johnson, of Atwater California, was rear-ended by a truck while waiting at a stoplight. Despite never having caused an accident in over 37 years of driving, the DMV obtained Ms. Johnson's medical records, saw that she was legally qualified to use cannabis as a treatment. In the post-accident interview, Ms. Johnson claimed to use cannabis sparingly, and never before she had to drive. Nevertheless, DMV revoked her license and and determined her unfit to drive "because of...[an] addiction to, or habitual use of, [a] drug".

"The DMV cannot simply disregard California's medical marijuana law," said ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford, who is representing Ms. Johnson in her claim against the DMV. "When the voters of California enacted the Compassionate Use Act, they never intended to authorize the DMV to strip medical marijuana patients of their drivers' licenses," continued Elford. "The DMV should not be in the business of revoking the licenses of drivers like Ms. Johnson simply because she is a medical marijuana patient."

ASA's records indicate that Ms. Johnson's experience may be widespread, having received complaints of license revocations in at least 8 California counties, including Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Glenn, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, and Sonoma. Therefore the impact of ASA's litigation, if successful, could be far-reaching and could lead to significant progress in the rights of patients legally permitted to use cannabis. Interestingly, Merced County (where ASA filed suit) recently enacted a police policy instructing Sheriff deputies to adhere to California law and not to cite medical cannabis patients. According to Elford, "The DMV is not under a different set of requirements than local police in California."

The lawsuit will be heard in Merced Superior Court in the next few months, and is part of an ongoing campaign by ASA to fully implement California's medical cannabis laws and guarantee the same rights to qualified patients as are enjoyed by every other citizen.

This article via Americans for Safe Access.

SF Cannabis Cup This Tuesday!

Hope to see everyone this tuesday Nov. 11th for the SF Cannabis Cup at Cafe Cocomo in San Francisco. Join us for the festivites and live enertainmet with Los Marijuanos, Mancito and DJ I Lee.

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Americans Vote for Cannabis

From NORML.ORG:

Americans Reject Bush Drug War Doctrine
Landslide At The Ballot Box: Voters Approve Nine Out Of Ten Marijuana Law Reform Measures

Washington, DC: Millions of Americans nationwide cast votes Tuesday in favor of marijuana law reform, approving nine out of ten ballot measures seeking to liberalize penalties on cannabis use and possession.

In Massachusetts, 65 percent of voters approved Question 2, which replaces criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana (punishable by up to six-months in jail and a $500 fine) with a civil fine of no more than $100. More than 1.9 million Massachusetts voters (and all but three cities) backed the measure - a greater total than the number of voters who endorsed President Elect Barack Obama (1.88 million). Question 2 is expected to become law within 30 days - making Massachusetts the thirteenth state to decriminalize the personal use and possession of cannabis. However, opponents of the measure - which include the state's governor, attorney general, and all twelve state district attorneys - note that lawmakers still have the legal option to amend or repeal the new law.

In Michigan, 63 percent of voters approved Proposal 1, which legalizes the physician-supervised use and cultivation of medicinal cannabis by state-authorized patients. More than 3 million voters endorsed the measure, which received approximately 150,000 more votes in Michigan than did Obama. Proposal 1 goes into effect on December 4th, at which time nearly one-quarter of the US population will live in a state that authorizes the legal use of medical cannabis.

Thousands of voters in various municipalities also backed local ballot initiatives supportive of marijuana law reform. In Arkansas, 66 percent of Fayetteville (population: 67,000) voters approved Question 16, which directs law enforcement to make activities related to the investigation and prosecution of adults who possess up to one ounce of marijuana their lowest priority. The measure also requires the city clerk to submit letters to state and federal legislators urging them to “take immediate steps to enact similar ['deprioritization'] laws.”

In Hawaii, Big Island (population: 172,000) voters approved a similar initiative (Ballot Question 1), which directs law enforcement to make activities related to the investigation and arrest of adults who possess up to 24 ounces of cannabis and/or 24 plants their lowest priority. The measure, which voters backed by nearly a 3 to 2 margin, also forbids the County Council from accepting government funding to promote federal marijuana eradication efforts on the Big Island.

In Massachusetts, voters in four state House districts (encompassing 15 towns) passed nonbinding public policy questions directing each district's state representative to vote in favor of legislation to legalize the medical use of cannabis. More than 70 percent of voters in each district backed the measures.

Finally, voters in Berkeley, California endorsed Measure JJ, which eliminates local limits on the quantity of medicinal cannabis that may be possessed by patients, and liberalizes municipal zoning guidelines for patient dispensaries.

By contrast, California voters rejected a statewide sentencing reform measure (Proposition 5), which sought expand the diversion of non-violent offenders to drug treatment and would have decreased minor marijuana penalties to a non-criminal infraction. Numerous politicians, including Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat US Senator Dianne Feinstein, joined forces with law enforcement and the California Beer and Beverage Distributors to lobby against the measure, which gained just 40 percent of the vote.

“Voters on Election Day demonstrated overwhelmingly that they favor political reform in this country, and that reform includes new directions in marijuana policy,” NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. “These election results emphasize that the voters are well ahead of the politicians when it comes to the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis for adults.

“Let us hope that President Elect Obama and the Democrat majority in Congress recognize that marijuana law reform is a populist issue. Voters should not have to take to the ballot box to enact sensible marijuana law reforms; these reforms should be championed by their elected officials.”

Illustration by Koehler

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California VOTE NO ON PROP 8

Don't forget to vote tomorrow, November 4th! It's the big day!

SugarBloom urge's everyone in California to stop discrimination and VOTE NO ON PROP 8. Protect Equal Rights for eveyone!

Vote for change - Go OBAMA!!!

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Important Marijuana Study Needs Chronic Pain Patients; Travel and

This article via NORML.

Renowned medical researcher Donald Abrams, MD (and the Positive Health Program of the UCSF Medical Service @ San Francisco General Hospital) is seeking a few more patients for a government-funded study that features patients who consume cannabis.*

Patients accepted into the research program will have travel to San Francisco covered and receive cash payments. This research program is part of a continuum of medical cannabis-related research performed by Dr. Abrams and his staff.

The goal’s study is to assess whether using vaporized marijuana affects the safety of prescribed opiods in patients treated for chronic pain.

*To Join This Study You Must:

-Have Ongoing Chronic Pain
-Be 18 or older
-Be on a stable twice-daily dose of sustained-release oxycodone (Oxycontin) for at least 2 weeks before enrollment
-Be willing to give up marijuana for a month prior to entering the study
-Not be a cigarette and/or cigar smoker, or be willing not to smoke for 2 weeks before starting the study
-Meet some additional criteria

If You Are Eligible You Will:

-Spend 5 days and nights in a clinical research center at San Francisco General Hospital
-Have blood tests and other measurements done
-Inhale vaporized medicinal marijuana three times a day

If you’re interested in participating in this important medical research, and qualify for the necessary research protocols, please directly contact 415-476-9554 (x315).

Absent these kinds of well constructed scientific research programs to better understand and determine the medical utility of cannabinoids and cannabis, the federal government will continuously oppose patient access to whole-smoked cannabis, therefore this kind of research takes on an even greater sense of concern and scope than just how a specific therapy interacts with patients.

Read this original article via NORML.

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VOTE! Don't forget to Vote Nov 4th!

Don't forget to VOTE NOVEMBER 4th.

Make your voice heard about Marijuana& Drug Reform Laws. Check out these propositions in your state:

CALIFORNIA : YES ON PROPOSITION 5 - Non Violent Offenders

MASSACHUSETTS : QUESTION 2 - Sensible Marijuana Law

MICHIGAN : YES ON PROPOSITION 1 - The Michigan Marihuana Act

HAWAI'I : CANNABIS REFORM - Project Peacful Sky

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS : Measure for Sensible Fayetteville

Make sure you are registered to vote and vote for change today! 

Legalize Marijuana!

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Hey there! Welcome to the SugarBloom blog. The official blog of SugarBloom. The San Francisco based lifestyle company inspired by California Cannabis Culture. Here we'll share things we like, our new products and news and use this as a forum to express our belief that cannabis and hemp should be legalized and utilized as a valuable resource.