Medical Marijuana in the News: 11/25

IN THE NEWS: Week of 12/2
ASA’s Summary of Medical Marijuana Articles


> ASA ACTION: Protecting Patients in the Workplace
> NETHERLANDS: Medical Program Continues as Alternatives Considered
> NEW JERSEY: Pressure Mounting for State Bill

> WISCONSIN: Legislature Holds Hearings on Proposed Law
> CALIFORNIA: Alameda County Working Out Dispensary Permits
Riverside County Issuing State IDs for Patients
San Diego Drawing Heat for Flouting Law


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ASA ACTION: Protecting Patients in the Workplace
The California Supreme Court will soon take up the issue of protection for
workers who legally use medical cannabis, thanks in part to legal work by
Americans for Safe Access. ASA argues that medical cannabis patients acting
on their doctor’s advice deserve the same consideration and accommodation as
any other worker. The Oregon Supreme Court will be hearing a similar case
soon.

Justices to review medical marijuana firing
by David Kravets, Associated Press
The California Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether employers
can terminate employees for lawfully using medical marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2855

High court to rule on medical pot firing
by Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle
The state Supreme Court waded into the conflict between state and federal
drug laws Wednesday and agreed to decide whether employees in California can
be fired for using medical marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2871

Supreme Court to Decide Whether Worker Who Uses Medical Marijuana May Be
Fired
Metropolitan News
The California Supreme Court yesterday agreed to decide whether an employee
who uses marijuana for medicinal purposes may be fired upon testing positive
for the drug. The plaintiff in the case is being assisted on appeal by
Americans for Safe Access, an Oakland-based advocacy group for medical
marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2862

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NETHERLANDS: Medical Program Continues as Alternatives Considered
One way to ensure safe, legal access for the sick and the suffering is to
simply remove the prohibition on cultivation. The Dutch appear to be using a
two-pronged strategy that continues a pharmacy-based program while
considering treating cultivation more like tobacco.

Medical marijuana use extended in Netherlands
by Associated Press, News 24 (South Africa)
The Dutch health ministry has announced plans to extend the country's
medical marijuana programme for a year.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2859

Dutch Politicians Seek Marijuana Rules
by Toby Sterling, Associated Press
A broad coalition of political parties unveiled a pilot program Friday to
regulate marijuana farming on the model of tobacco, which opponents say
would be tantamount to legalizing growing the drug.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2870

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NEW JERSEY: Pressure Mounting for State Bill
Ever since both the Democrat and Republican candidates for governor in New
Jersey pledged to sign a medical cannabis bill if the legislature passed
one, there has been renewed pressure on state lawmakers to move forward on
implementing the will of the people.

Local group seeks new marijuana law in NJ
by Lea Kahn, Lawrence Ledger (NJ)
New Jersey would become the 11th state in the nation to allow the medicinal
use of marijuana without fear of criminal penalties, if the Coalition for
Medical Marijuana-New Jersey has its way.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2869

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WISCONSIN: Legislature Holds Hearings on Proposed Law
The state nurses association was among those who have stepped forward to
urge state lawmakers to allow medical use of cannabis in Wisconsin.
Newspaper editorial boards are starting to throw their weight behind it,
too.

Show compassion for the sufferers
EDITORIAL, Beloit Daily News (WI)
Is there a certain amount of hypocrisy in believing the government should be
aggressive in cracking down on illegal drugs, while allowing some
chronically sick people to smoke pot to relieve their symptoms? Probably. So
what.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2863

Wisconsin Nurses Testify For Medical Marijuana
Green Bay Gazette News
The Wisconsin Nurses Association testified in support of a medical marijuana
bill sponsored by Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, at an Assembly committee
hearing Tuesday.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2865

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CALIFORNIA: Alameda County Working Out Dispensary Permits
Local officials are moving forward with issuing permits for dispensaries in
Alameda County. As Oakland reduced the number of permitted dispensaries,
many patients have come to rely on those in nearby areas.

Pot clubs in Ashland must wait for answers
by Karen Holzmeister, Oakland Tribune
People for and against medical marijuana clinics in unincorporated areas of
Alameda County were looking for answers Thursday.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2860

Six organizations competing for three cannabis permits
by Guy Ashley, Contra Costa Times
Six medical marijuana clubs are competing for three permits to sell cannabis
in unincorporated parts of Alameda County.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2864

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CALIFORNIA: Riverside County Issuing State IDs for Patients
One of the protections offered patients by SB420, the legislature’s
expansion of California’s medical cannabis initiative, is a voluntary ID
card system designed to prevent the arrest of patients and the seizure of
their medicine. Riverside joins the many counties around the state who are
already issuing such cards or are soon to.

Riverside County Offers Pot ID Cards
by Susannah Rosenblatt, Los Angeles Times
Riverside County will begin issuing photo identification cards to local
medical marijuana users today, the first Southern California county to
comply with a state law intended to shield medical patients from arrest.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2856

Riverside County to issue pot I-D cards
by Associated Press, KESQ
Riverside County will begin offering up to four-thousand photo
identification cards to marijuana users today. It's the first Southern
California county to comply with a state law intended to shield medical
marijuana patients from arrests.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2858

Medical marijuana cards available today
by Erica Solvig, The Desert Sun
Riverside County today joins the statewide medical marijuana identification
card program for those who have a doctor's permission to use the drug.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2857

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CALIFORNIA: San Diego Drawing Heat for Flouting Law
Unlike their neighbors in Riverside, San Diego officials are refusing to
implement state law on ID cards, drawing the wrath and ridicule of their
citizens. As conservative as the area is, it nonetheless voted to pass the
medical marijuana initiative in the first place by 52%, and support has only
grown.

Prohibition vs. Democracy: the County of San Diego and medical marijuana
by Kenneth Michael White (Op/Ed), The Village News (CA)
The County of San Diego recently announced that it would not implement a
California law that requires counties to create a medical marijuana
identification program. First county supervisors said medical marijuana
patients would have to sue them to get identification cards, but then the
county changed its position after the local newspaper suggested the county
should sue the state for declaratory judgment, which is what they decided to
do. As we wait for this litigation to start, now is a good time to consider
the merits and demerits of the position of the County of San Diego regarding
medical marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2861



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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.