State Campaigns

ASA’s state campaigns draw out a strategy plan for improving safe access in individual states across the nation. ASA recognizes that patients’ needs can vary, depending on where they live. In order to be sure ASA is addressing the needs of local patients, Executive Director Steph Sherer has been traveling across the country to hold ASA stakeholders meetings. These meetings provide ASA the opportunity to learn what local patients want, as well as strengthen and mobilize our grassroots base.

ASA’s state campaigns also focus on local and state-wide elections. ASA works to ensure friendly politicians are elected and that unfriendly candidates are beaten. A shining example of ASA influencing an election is California’s Attorney General race last November. During his reign as Los Angeles’ District Attorney, Steve Cooley condoned the raiding of dozens of local dispensaries, and he likely would have expanded his anti-medical cannabis agenda to the entire state if he had been elected as Attorney General in November. Cooley was expected to be a shoe-in, but ASA’s aggressive campaign against him caused him to lose the election. ASA also actively campaigns against any additional taxes on medical cannabis or medical cannabis dispensing centers.