Americans for Safe Access (ASA), based in Washington, D.C., is a member-based organization working to ensure safe and legal access to
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
for therapeutic uses and research. Americans for Safe Access works in partnership with local, state, and federal legislators in the United States to create policies that improve
access to medical cannabis for both patients and researchers. ASA has over 100,000 active members across the United States.
Media and activism
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
Capacity building (or capacity development, capacity strengthening) is the improvement in an individual's or organization's facility (or capability) "to produce, perform or deploy". The terms ''capacity building'' and ''capacity development'' ha ...
for advocates.
Founding
Medical cannabis patient and Executive Director Steph Sherer founded ASA in 2002 in response to federal raids on patients and providers in California. Since then, their lobbying, media, and legal campaigns have led to court precedents, new sentencing standards, different legislative and administrative policies and procedures, as well as new legislation.
Accomplishments
* Successfully filed suit against
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enfor ...
(CHP), the largest law enforcement agency in the state, compelling CHP to stop confiscating patients’ medical cannabis to comply with the mandates of Proposition 215.
* Worked with elected officials to enact ordinances regulating medical cannabis dispensing collectives (dispensaries). Twenty four cities and seven counties have given dispensaries protection and legitimacy under local law.
* Has made medical cannabis a major story nationwide and has worked to frame a national discourse on medical cannabis issues.
* Provided outreach services to collectives, including legal training, peer counseling, and media spokesperson training.
* Litigated ''
Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration'', a case calling for
.
ASA Leadership
Office of the Executive Director
* Steph Sherer - Founder
* Debbie Churgai - Director
Operations
* Geoffrey Marshall - Office & Membership Coordinator
* William Dolphin - Publications
* Paul Marini - Technical Director
* Benjamin Morrison - Senior IT Consultant
Program Staff
* Dustin McDonald - Interim Policy Director
* Don Duncan - California Director
* Reenal Doshi - Director of Outreach and Communications
Patient Focused Certification
* Heather Despres - PFC Director
* Trish Flaster - Patient Focused Certification Board Chair
Podcast
Americans for Safe Access partners with online publication The Cannigma to co-produce a
podcast
A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...
, ''The Cannabis Enigma'', featuring doctors, patients, researchers, scientists, and legislative updates.
References
External links
*
ASA Leadership
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Drug policy organizations based in the United States
Drug policy reform
Organizations established in 2002
Medical and health organizations based in Washington, D.C.
Cannabis law reform organizations based in the United States
Medicinal use of cannabis organizations based in the United States
Medical associations based in the United States
2002 establishments in Washington, D.C.
2002 in cannabis