California Compassionate Cannabis Donation Programs: A Lifeline for Patients

California Compassionate Cannabis Donation Programs: A Lifeline for Patients

Apr 1, 2024

By Shelby Huffaker, MPH | San Diego Americans for Safe Access Co-Chair In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom took a significant step towards supporting medical cannabis patients by signing Senate Bill 34: The Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary Act into law. The legislation provided a lifeline to those reliant on medical cannabis by exempting donated...

2024 California Cannabis Bills We’re Watching

2024 California Cannabis Bills We’re Watching

Mar 5, 2024

California cannabis bills we’re watching in 2024.

Still Less Than Equal: Mayor Gloria’s Cannabis Social Equity Plan Falls Short

Still Less Than Equal: Mayor Gloria’s Cannabis Social Equity Plan Falls Short

Feb 5, 2024

While some progress has been made on the City’s cannabis social equity program, much is left to be desired.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Making A Public Comment in Support of Cannabis Social Equity

A Step-By-Step Guide to Making A Public Comment in Support of Cannabis Social Equity

Feb 5, 2024

Learn how to make a public comment to your local elected officials.

2023 In Review: Where We’ve Been, What We’ve Learned, & Where We’re Going

2023 In Review: Where We’ve Been, What We’ve Learned, & Where We’re Going

Jan 1, 2024

Happy New Year San Diego ASA members! 2023 was a busy year for cannabis, with many wins and challenges. National WHERE WE’VE BEEN: On the national level, Biden issued additional pardons for those with cannabis-related convictions and granted clemency to 11 people with disproportionately long jail sentences. The Department of Health and...

Urgent Action Needed for Cannabis Equity

Urgent Action Needed for Cannabis Equity

Dec 27, 2023

San Diego ASA has an urgent request regarding cannabis social equity.

California Cannabis Laws 2023 Legislative Updates

California Cannabis Laws 2023 Legislative Updates

Nov 2, 2023

During the 2023 legislative session, over 20 cannabis-related bills went to Governor Newsom’s desk. Read below for highlights on the bills supported by Americans for Safe Access: Passed SB 302 (Stern) – Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act. Extends Ryan’s Law to all chronically ill patients over the age of 65, requiring...

Real Concern, or Protecting Market Share?

Real Concern, or Protecting Market Share?

Oct 17, 2023

Several weeks ago in the San Diego Union Tribune, Tiffany Devitt accurately described the problems associated with the lack of regulations on hemp products in the U.S. in her piece, Here’s how a policy loophole is leading to more poisonings from unregulated THC. It is true that in states where medical and adult-use cannabis programs exist, cannabis is...

Connecting the Community Series | Special Guest Marcus Boyd

Connecting the Community Series | Special Guest Marcus Boyd

Aug 19, 2020

Connecting the Community is a bi-weekly interview series with local San Diego Cannabis community members helping educate, advocate or help move the local community forward. This month’s interview is with Marcus Boyd, Vice Chair of San Diego Americans for Safe Access. Meet Marcus Boyd: Marcus Boyd is a disabled Navy veteran and small business...

Connecting the Community Series | Special Guest Gracie Morgan

Connecting the Community Series | Special Guest Gracie Morgan

Aug 19, 2020

Connecting the Community is a bi-weekly interview series with local San Diego Cannabis community members helping educate, advocate or help move the local community forward.  Our first interview series kicks off with Gracie Morgan AKA “Marilyn Jane”.  Marilyn Jane is a “Jane of all trades” in the cannabis industry. Over the...

Culture Magazine: San Diego Activist Honored in Washington D.C.

Culture Magazine: San Diego Activist Honored in Washington D.C.

Jun 3, 2016

Local activist and native San Diegan, Terrie Best, the Chapter Chair of the medical cannabis advocacy group Americans For Safe Access (ASA) was recently recognized as Patient Advocate of the Year at the 2016 Americans For Safe Access Excellence Awards in Washington D.C., for her unwavering commitment to the cannabis community. Not only does Terrie organize court...

Bonnie Dumanis Raided a Collective and All She Got Was a Crappy Hot Plate

Bonnie Dumanis Raided a Collective and All She Got Was a Crappy Hot Plate

Apr 29, 2016

April 29, 2016 By Terrie Best – San Diego Americans For Safe Access San Diego, CA – John Mazula – the medical cannabis patient who enjoyed a bit of local fame when his attorney Mike Cindrich argued and won his medical cannabis case with a 10 minute verdict – was back in court today, this time to convince a judge to order the DA to return the...

San Diego Board of Supervisors Extends Moratorium with Caveat

San Diego Board of Supervisors Extends Moratorium with Caveat

Apr 28, 2016

April 28, 2016 By Terrie Best – San Diego ASA San Diego, CA  – The County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday to vote on staff recommendations to extend a moratorium against new medical marijuana activity in San Diego County. The 45 day moratorium was put in place on March 16 and was largely a knee-jerk reaction to a group of community members...

District Attorney LaTouche Receives Benchslap for Prosecutorial Misconduct.

District Attorney LaTouche Receives Benchslap for Prosecutorial Misconduct.

Apr 20, 2016

UPDATE on Ernest Knight Medical Marijuana Case in San Diego By Will Wynn On April 11th District Attorney Deborah LaTouche appearing before Judge Danielsen, People vs. Knight/Ozolite, stated in a formal declaration to the court that Mr. Knight’s attorney Nathan Shaman had submitted ‘nothing’ to her for discovery; when in fact he had presented her...

The County’s Dysfunctional Medical Marijuana Ordinance Suddenly too Functional for County Board of Supervisors – Cruel Move to Further Outlaw Patient Access

The County’s Dysfunctional Medical Marijuana Ordinance Suddenly too Functional for County Board of Supervisors – Cruel Move to Further Outlaw Patient Access

Mar 17, 2016

March 17, 2016 Terrie Best – San Diego Americans for Safe Access San Diego, CA – The County Board of Supervisors met yesterday and the patient community barely escaped a ban on medical cannabis. The ban would have affected unincorporated areas of the county, such as Julian, Ramona and many other rural parcels where it would otherwise be safe and...