ASA Educates At The Los Angeles CNOA Conference
| By Americans for Safe Access | Published December 9, 2009 |
Over the past two months, ASA has been confronting a group of California law enforcement officers who are trying to undermine the state's medical cannabis law.
Thirteen years after voters enshrined a right to safe access in the state constitution, the California Narcotics Officers Association (CNOA) continues to publicly insist that "there is no such thing as medical marijuana." So when ASA learned that the CNOA was conducting "trainings" on how to subvert local regulations and shut down medical cannabis dispensaries, it was an opportunity to educate them on upholding the law.
For the first action, more than 100 protestors with colorful signs lined the streets outside the CNOA event in October. The luncheon training was titled "The Eradication of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County" and featured both the LA City Attorney and the District Attorney.
For last month's CNOA training conference in San Francisco, ASA staged a "welcome" for officers. ASA staff and local activists in business attire, lapel flowers, and "welcome to CNOA" badges greeted arrivals with packets of ASA educational information about medical cannabis. By the time hotel management told ASA activists they had to leave, more than two-thirds of the literature was already in the hands of officers.
"They were expecting protesters, but we were so well dressed and nice that they couldn't help but take our welcoming packet," said Don Morgan, ASA associate director. "Two attendees even came out to look at the protest they had heard about. We had a nice chat and gave them our information to read. They took it and walked back in without realizing we were the protest."
Further information:
CNOA training brochure
