Emergency ASA Meeting in L.A. for Medical Marijuana Saturday!

[Stoner4Life]

The LA Chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is calling for all medical cannabis patients, caregivers, and supporters to attend a special community meeting in response to recent collaboration of the LAPD and federal law enforcement to close medical cannabis collectives in Los Angeles. Several collectives in North Hollywood and one in Venice were closed by LAPD in the last few weeks. The LAPD and federal agents closed a large collective in the Valley today, raising concerns for patients and providers all over LA.
Other communities have organized and stopped police and federal attacks before. It is time for local medical cannabis supporters to organize and escalate their opposition to the LAPD and federal attack on medical cannabis! Please attend this emergency community meeting and help us fight
back.

What: Emergency Medical Cannabis Community Meeting

When: Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 4:00 PM

Where: 6208 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles
(between Vine St. and El Centro)

Please invite your friends and loved ones, but remember that the facility is only open to person 18 and older. Refreshments will be served.

For additional information about this meeting or what you can do to help, call LA ASA at 323-464-7719 or email don@safeaccessnow.org

Newshawk: Stoner4Life - 420 Magazine
Source: Americans for Safe Access (ASA)
Contact: info@SafeAccessNow.org
Website: ASA : Index

 

[Spliff Twister]

Re: Emergency LA ASA Meeting

Is anyone going to this or will i be solo?

 

[Marek]

Re: Emergency LA ASA Meeting

I'll try to go as well. No promises, got a lot of work to do this weekend.

Marek

 

[Goddess Arlen]

Re: Emergency LA ASA Meeting

Sorry, I can't make it! Blessings to all! I do support u all!

 

[TokerDaBandit]

I live in the wrong neck of the woods to attend. Wish I could though. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

I thought that was the idea of the med mj laws-- so that private patients would form private collectives and serve themselves!! That we would no longer have to resort to the black market to get our meds-- now the feds and the LAPD obviously want you all to go back to supporting crime by buying from the black market dealers.

How come this doesn't make sense to me????? Am I the only one here that feels this way?

Peace out...
TDB

 

[Marianne]

Did anyone go?

 

[420]

myself, marek, georgie and splifftwister went...
marek and georgie will post minutes of the meeting tonight along with our individual feedback on what happened.

 

[Pinch]

I wonder who invited the feds to LA?

 

[Marek]

the feds like to dupe local LE into doing surveils for them, using our tax dollars against us!

then they act on it, citing the local requests, usually without notifying the local PD in advance

will post up minutes/summary of the meeting tomorrow afternoon after all the scribbles have been decypher'd

 

[onelazysurfah]

I wonder who invited the feds to LA?

LEOs are always there, im sure most of you can spot them. At the last ASA meeting I had a agent come up to me and ask if i was still "working" i said "yes, 60 hours a week in a warehouse..." hahhah.

My question is will this ASA meeting be another huge waste of time?

Will we accomplish more than bashing public reps and suggesting the running of farm animals as opposition in office?

Will the people at ASA be more interested in reform, or are they simply spreading their names in hope of that everlasting stardom...?

Everyone talks about the great things ASA has done, yet they have not sent one represenative or lawyer to help us in our case...

(RoC)siyah

 

[Spliff Twister]

OLS I am not going to open my mouth to much on this subject but I will say a few things. the turnout at the ASA meeting was larger then I expected but smaller then I had hoped. Apparently it was larger then ASA expected because the room we where in was very small hot and uncomfortable and they didn't have seats for everyone. I know all 4 of us had to stand the whole meeting. Any way ASA basically repeated what was already on there web site. They did have a couple key points that I liked and will share with you all right now. 1 The surveillance that DEA uses to shut down our co-op if from LAPD. That's our tax dollars so we need to do something about that. 2 They talked about a rally at Van Nuys in retaliation to the raids. 3 Etiquette at Co-ops. They say a major problem is young patients going there with car a full of friends music blaring skating all over the place ect ect. Now I almost took this personally as one of the younger patients at the meeting and also because of the fact that with my tattoo's and clothing I looked like a skater....which I am or was I guess you could say. I guess I only felt that way because the man speaking happened to be facing me as I was at one end of the room and he was at the other plus he was wearing glasses so you couldn't tell where he was looking but I am sure he wasn't trying to single me out. I had to agree with him on this and most patients in my generation don't respect the laws as they should and are in turn hurting our cause not helping.

Now as for the ASA it self here's where I'm keeping my mouth shut. I will say this one thing and that is it did feel like publicity stunt. What I mean by this is there was a lot of talk about them self's and running for office's ect ect. I was a little disappointed with ASA as self promoting wasn't the reason I drove all the way down there.

Haha for someone who wasn't going to open thier mouth I sure said alot.

 

[Thepurplem0nkey]

I think singeling out "young patients" and their car loads of friends is an ass backwaerds approach and viewpoint.There is nothing illegal about van loads of kids waiting for a legal patiente legaly acquiring his medicine. If that legal patient decides to share his meds with those friends, then that patient should be persued by authorities and punished. Toys R' Us doesnt get shut down every time a baby chokes on a toy, a club should not be shut down for illegal activities persued by individuals, which is out of their control. The ASA should be asking why the LAPD is beng used, as a state entity, to voilate our civil rights, and should be planning mass protests all around the city, espeically at police stations, handing out flyers and leaflets and demonstrating. Trying to blame it on anyone other than the stormtroopers, who are paid to enforce California law and serve the California people, and are trampeling on rights Californians voted into law 10 years ago, with somne lame ass blame on the victimes, us medicinal marijuana patients, is an extreme disservice, and I wouldnt follow ANY leadership that blamed medical marijuana users for this type of corrupt behavior.
I was out of town so I could not attend, but it doesnt sound like I missed a damn thing but pisspoor poli-tican and an ass backwards publicity stunt.
-PM

 

[onelazysurfah]

Asa

Apparently it was larger then ASA expected because the room we where in was very small hot and uncomfortable and they didn't have seats for everyone. I know all 4 of us had to stand the whole meeting. Any way ASA basically repeated what was already on there web site.

Wait, ASA was unorganized for the event, hrmm..thats unlikely..

They did have a couple key points that I liked and will share with you all right now.

1 The surveillance that DEA uses to shut down our co-op if from LAPD. That's our tax dollars so we need to do something about that.

Yes, they brought this up at the last meeting in SD. However, I tried to explain that we are not the only citizens that pay taxes and many citizens support the DEA and their war on drugs, so they will continue to provide survillenace on us (Agent Reed informed me they had been working on an 18 month undercover operation before the raids had taken place.) and if LAPD wants to allot a certain amount of officers to work w. DEA agents that is up to PD, they have option to not work with federal agency.


2 They talked about a rally at Van Nuys in retaliation to the raids.

Rallys are great to blow off steam, however it has to be the right crowd sending ONE POSITIVE MESSAGE. Because local media looooves to make us look like worthless marijuana addicts trying to legalize drugs..

3 Etiquette at Co-ops. They say a major problem is young patients going there with car a full of friends music blaring skating all over the place ect ect.

I cant speak for everyone, but I have driven to many a dispesary and have sat across the street or what not and i observe who goes in and out. I have seen a general respect and have yet to seen "those damn kids skating on the sidewalk" or anything as to that. I did notice some people drove in with their music quite loud, but alot of people play their music high volume, espically in LA.

I will say this one thing and that is it did feel like publicity stunt. What I mean by this is there was a lot of talk about them self's and running for office's ect ect. I was a little disappointed with ASA as self promoting wasn't the reason I drove all the way down there.

BUMP
[/QUOTE]

 

[onelazysurfah]

Asa

Apparently it was larger then ASA expected because the room we where in was very small hot and uncomfortable and they didn't have seats for everyone. I know all 4 of us had to stand the whole meeting. Any way ASA basically repeated what was already on there web site.

Wait, ASA was unorganized for the event, hrmm..thats unlikely..

They did have a couple key points that I liked and will share with you all right now.

1 The surveillance that DEA uses to shut down our co-op if from LAPD. That's our tax dollars so we need to do something about that.

Yes, they brought this up at the last meeting in SD. However, I tried to explain that we are not the only citizens that pay taxes and many citizens support the DEA and their war on drugs, so they will continue to provide survillenace on us (Agent Reed informed me they had been working on an 18 month undercover operation before the raids had taken place.)


2 They talked about a rally at Van Nuys in retaliation to the raids.

Rallys are great to blow off steam, however it has to be the right crowd sending ONE POSITIVE MESSAGE. Because local media looooves to make us look like worthless marijuana addicts trying to legalize drugs..

3 Etiquette at Co-ops. They say a major problem is young patients going there with car a full of friends music blaring skating all over the place ect ect.

I cant speak for everyone, but I have driven to many a dispesary and have sat across the street or what not and i observe who goes in and out. I have seen a general respect and have yet to seen "those damn kids skating on the sidewalk" or anything as to that. I did notice some people drove in with their music quite loud, but alot of people play their music high volume, espically in LA.

[/QUOTE]

I will say this one thing and that is it did feel like publicity stunt. What I mean by this is there was a lot of talk about them self's and running for office's ect ect. I was a little disappointed with ASA as self promoting wasn't the reason I drove all the way down there.

BUMP

 

[420]

i spent all day friday and saturday promoting this meeting to my members...
i arrived with 3 of my medical marijuana team...
we stood in a very hot, crowded room, for hours listening to asa repeat what they and us have already posted in our news sections..
then listened to a pioneer of the movement yell at the top of his lungs for a long time about how he started medical marijuana and then went on to rant and rave and plug all of his projects and friends...
standing there, sweat dripping down my legs, for hours...
watching an aids patient throwing up in the bathroom because he needed his meds and was hot and had no room to sit...
then they said it was time to listen to someone play acoustic guitar...
i went outside for a brief second to get some much needed fresh air..
when i tried to go back inside, i was told by security, VERY RUDELY, that i was not allowed back in..
i told him i was 420 Times Magazine covering the meeting with my team inside and he said he didn't care who i was, once you leave, you can't come back... what a huge waste of very valuable time... i left pissed off...
didn't even get a chance to meet the asa people, co-op owners, patients, etc...
at least i got to meet dale from cal norml, which was a delight... dale rules.
i could go on for hours about this, but i'm going to cut it short.
i applaud asa's efforts for at least doing something for the cause, unlike most americans, but i feel they are not making much progress and are in dire need of some hardcore ball busters to run their show...
that's my 4 dollars and 20 cents.

 

[aclazzlady]

support to all of you from all of us here in spokane washington...we just had our crop pulled by the police just cuz they felt they had found a loop hole in the laws....our prayer are with you all...

 

[onelazysurfah]

support to all of you from all of us here in spokane washington...we just had our crop pulled by the police just cuz they felt they had found a loop hole in the laws....our prayer are with you all...

Im sorry to hear that, LEO knows what time of year it is and they are gearing up.

stay upp stay safe

(RoC)siyah

 

[Georgiann]

myself, marek, georgie and splifftwister went...
marek and georgie will post minutes of the meeting tonight along with our individual feedback on what happened.

Here are the minutes:

ASA Meeting
September 2, 2006
Scheduled 4 — 5 PM
Called to order: 4:20 PM
Meeting ended: 5:40 PM

Meeting began with a discussion about harassment by the LAPD North Hollywood Division and the DEA.

1) An officer named John Smith has been harassing co-op owners in the North
Hollywood area
2) An undercover DEA Agent attempted to sign up as a patient at TH Caregivers. He did not have a doctor's recommendation. When asked to leave he radioed officers saying that he was being attacked and officers came immediately.
3) At a Van Nuys co-op the DEA kept security guards locked up for hours without food or water. Local police were finally called and were able to help expedite the situation and get the guards released. The guard gave no information to the DEA.
4) Dennis P. Zine, COUNCILMAN, 3rd District , is working on regulations to help patients and co-ops. The goal is to ensure that the City of Los Angeles respects the rights of medical marijuana patients.

The next part of the meeting addressed "what to do if you are at a co op while there is a raid:

1) Do not give the police any information about yourself, your medical condition or the
co op
2) You will be required to identify yourself but have a right to not give any other information
3) Do not agree to a search (this is your right). They are only allowed to search you if they suspect you have a weapon.
4) Do not say anything in public that you would not tell the police (this is good advice at all times).

Actions to be taken:

1) Phone tree will be established so that patients can protest the raids while in
progress.
2) There will be a protest at the Van Nuys Courthouse on Wednesday, Septembers 6 to
Protest the actions of the DEA and certain police.

 

[Cherma]

All, I applaud the efforts for which you believe in. As most of the writings above indicate is that the Darkness Environment Around you is watching closely and monitoring the progression of the Cannabis movement. The overall support world wide has them baffled, yet concerned as they are truly trying to figure out how to be eventually profiting from Cannabis of all forms as the Government does also by Taxation of Alcohol & Tobbacco. It will eventually come down to it in the next 5-10 years, where Taxation thru Producing and Sales will be in place. It would be great to see in place for those who only produce for themselves a Yearly Tax Stamp that allows one to grow up to 20 Plants, Or, a Tax Stamp based upon the quantity grown. When applying for this Tax Stamp, the Originator would have several different choices as where the Tax dollars could be allocated to. The Local Jurisdictions may have a Processing Fee, (It does cost to keep records), along with The Federal Government Fee. The Rest of the Fees involved to Tax Cannabis can be designated to one of various local or state fundings such as School and Education, Eldery Care Asssistance, etc... This can be all written up as part of the Measure that may be based upon a Local, State or Federal Guidelines.
Over the many years we have poured more money into Marijuana Eradication, and sending more people to prison for such a huge cost and the clogging of our court systems that it is time to move forward another level and begin Taxation thru proper representation, at all Local, State & Federal Levels. That is why in 1931: Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon, appoints his nephew-in-law, Henry Anslinger, head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, a Bureau of the Treasury ...What a Crock !!! Nepotism here anyone. This is one of the greatest scams ever pulled off against the American People, for how long now?
Let's begin at another Level and progress toward ending this horrible myth set many years ago by a Bent Mans Ego.
https://www.whutaworld.com/2timeline.html

 

[MichaelBee]

I heard that the meeting needed structure, theese people, the ASA, need to get their act together to avoid another San Diego type story. The real deal is that almost overnight the condition we live in can be changed unless there is organized resistance to stop it. I know the feeling all too well after the San Diego raids. The ASA group needs to find legal consulting so owners and staff know how to handle the situations that might come up. Now, if ever is the time, so there is a unified push against theese few who are tipping the scales back ten years. Patients and their registered voter friends need to remind politicians and elected police officials that prop 215 is supported by the voters in this state. Call your local Representative! Let them know where the public stands. There are links at ca.gov! Lets let them know we don't support rogue officials, and stop them! Watch for further info.