SF: Officials, community leaders and patient advocates speak out

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shona Gochenaur 415-240-5247
axisoflovesf [at] gmail.com

San Francisco Responds to Safe Access Crisis and Calls on Mayor Newsom to Lead the Way

Birthplace of Medical Marijuana Defends Sanctuary Status Against DEA

San Francisco-Officials, community leaders and patient advocates will hold a press
conference on Monday, February 4th at noon on the front steps of City Hall to
demonstrate support for a resolution condemning the DEA recent tactics to undermine
California's medical cannabis laws.

Speakers will include California State Senator Carole Migden, San Francisco
Supervisor Chris Daly, San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, two commissioners
Robert Haaland Board of Appeals and David Campos - Police Commissioner, San
Francisco Democratic Party Chairman Scott Wiener, President of the Harvey Milk LGBT
Democratic Club Rafael Mandelman, Michael Goldstein and Mira Ingram of the San
Francisco Marijuana Offenses Oversight Committee, Alex Franco of ASA SF, Shona
Gochenaur of Axis of Love SF, Bruce Wolfe will be spokes person for SF Greens, Steve
Kubby, and others TBA.

The DEA has sent letters to property owners who rent to dispensaries in San
Francisco -- and all over California -- threatening them with property seizure
unless they evict the dispensaries operating there. Many dispensaries statewide
have already had to close. With the DEA's latest round of letters to Northern
California property owners who rent to dispensaries, many San Francisco dispensaries
are facing closure.

The Democratic Central Committee recently passed a resolution condemning the DEA
sending threatening letters to landlords of regulated medical cannabis safe access
centers (http://www.sfdemocrats.org/sfd/resolutions.html). San Francisco
Supervisors are scheduled to hear a similar resolution on Tuesday, February 5th,
pledging their support to the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of Congress, John
Conyers Jr - who called for hearings to investigate the DEA attempt to undermine
California state laws (resolution 080152
http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_page.asp?id=74605).

The resolution also calls on Mayor Newsom to stand with Mayor Dellums of Oakland -
who has issued a statement in support of congressional hearing to protect access for
his city's medical cannabis providers.

"Patients in San Francisco and across the state support this resolution "says Alex
Franco of ASA SF, a local patients advocacy group "We hope that the pressure from
the Board will urge the Mayor to publicly reaffirm his support for safe access and
the landlords who house medical cannabis dispensaries." The resolution also called
for state legislators to protect state laws regarding medical cannabis, as well as
Congressional Representatives.

The resolution is lead by Supervisor Chris Daly, co-sponsored by Supervisor Ross
Mirkarimi. Both the Harvey Milk Democratic club and SF Green party have endorsed
this resolution.

Now it's time to tell the rest of those we elected to positions of power to take
action in support of sick and disabled people in California!

When: Monday, February 4, 12:00 noon

Where: The front steps of San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Dellums Statement: http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/Dellums_Statement.pdf

Dellums Letter to Conyers:
http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/Dellums_Letter_to_Conyers.pdf