Medical Marijuana Advocacy Blog - Americans for Safe Access

Midterms, Mid-Rescheduling: What's Next for Medical Cannabis?

Steph Sherer — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 17:26:00 -0500

As a new Congress prepares to take office and federal cannabis policy continues to evolve, patients have an opportunity to shape what comes next. Watch ASA's post-election briefing and take the Medical Cannabis Action Pledge to help protect patient rights during the lame-duck session and advance safe access in 2027.

Election 2026: Who Will Shape the Future of Medical Cannabis Policy?

Steph Sherer — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:57:00 -0500

Today, voters will help determine who oversees the most significant changes in federal cannabis policy in more than 50 years. This blog examines the political and regulatory landscape the next Congress will inherit, including the opportunities and challenges these historic reforms present for medical cannabis patients.

Legacy Giving Matters: Planning for the Future & the Causes We Care About

Steph Sherer — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 17:37:00 -0500

Now that I have retired, I've been thinking more about self-care, future care, and the decisions that come with planning for the next chapter of life. Over the next few years, I'll be making some important decisions about my assets, end-of-life wishes, power of attorney, advance directives, and finding my forever home. Part of that planning also involves thinking about the causes I care about and how I can continue supporting them long into the future.

Read Steph Sherer's Op-Ed in Marijuana Moment: What Does The Federal Government’s Registration Of 900+ Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Mean For Patients?

Steph Sherer — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:48:00 -0500

For the first time, the federal government is recognizing and registering medical cannabis dispensaries that patients fought to establish nearly 30 years ago.

FROM FEAR TO FACTS: Meet The Leaders Turning Cannabis Safety Concerns into Solutions That Protect Access

Steph Sherer — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 14:58:00 -0400

This year, Americans for Safe Access launched the first Cannabis Safety Awards as part of Cannabis Safety Month. We created both initiatives because, as cannabis becomes more integrated into healthcare and society, the meaning of safety is evolving. Patients, healthcare professionals, parents, policymakers, regulators, and the broader public all approach cannabis safety from different perspectives. Some concerns are grounded in real experiences and evidence; others are shaped by decades of misinformation. All deserve thoughtful responses, not reflexive dismissal.

Patient Advocacy Organization Responds to DOJ Announcement of More Than 900 Federal Medical Cannabis Dispensary Registrations

Steph Sherer — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 16:12:00 -0400

Americans for Safe Access Celebrates Historic Victory for Patient Access and Offers Perspective on Federal Policy, Patients’ Rights, State Implementation, and the Next Congress

From Fear to Facts: Cannabis Safety Leaders Take Center Stage as Federal Rescheduling Advances

Steph Sherer — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 15:32:00 -0400

Americans for Safe Access Announces 21 Cannabis Safety Award Recipients & Creation of a Public Cannabis Safety Resource Library

Cannabis Rescheduling Is Progress. You Can Shape Its Impact.

Steph Sherer — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:40:00 -0400

Federal cannabis policy is undergoing significant changes. This year's historic federal action on medical cannabis rescheduling represents progress patients have fought for decades to achieve, but important decisions about the future of medical cannabis remain unresolved. Broader rescheduling is still pending, and federal policymakers have yet to establish comprehensive protections for patients, strengthen product safety standards, or create a framework for integrating cannabis medicines into healthcare.

As Federal Rescheduling Intensifies the Cannabis Safety Debate, Patient Advocates Celebrate Cannabis Safety Leaders

Steph Sherer — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:18:00 -0400

Americans for Safe Access’ 2026 Cannabis Safety Awards Highlight People & Programs Addressing Concerns About Youth Access, Impaired Driving, Product Safety, Research, and Public Health and Invite the Public to “Face Fear with Facts.”

The Know Your Dose Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:36:00 -0400

Knowing the potency of a cannabis product is not the same as knowing your dose. A label may tell patients how much THC or CBD a product contains, but it cannot tell them how much they should take, how their bodies will respond, or whether they will experience the same results the next time they use it.

The Safety Signal Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:25:00 -0400

Information about cannabis is everywhere. Patients, consumers, families, and healthcare professionals encounter a constant stream of research findings, health claims, product descriptions, marketing messages, and changing regulations. Yet having more information available does not necessarily make it easier to find reliable answers or make informed decisions.

The Safe Access Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:26:00 -0400

Establishing legal access to medical cannabis was an important victory for patients, but having a medical cannabis program does not mean every patient will benefit from it. Patients still need access to knowledgeable healthcare professionals, reliable safety information, affordable products, and the practical support necessary to navigate medical cannabis programs and make informed treatment decisions.

The Green Standard Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:46:00 -0400

Cannabis safety does not begin and end with the product a patient takes home. How cannabis is cultivated, manufactured, packaged, transported, and ultimately disposed of can affect workers, neighboring communities, water, soil, wildlife, public lands, and the long-term sustainability of legal cannabis systems

The Full Disclosure Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:15:00 -0400

Medical cannabis programs represent an extraordinary achievement in healthcare innovation. For decades under federal prohibition, patients, advocates, scientists, businesses, and state regulators developed systems to deliver complex botanical medicines to millions of patients outside the traditional pharmaceutical framework. States built medical cannabis regulatory systems without coordinated federal product safety infrastructure, national manufacturing standards, or the research and oversight systems available to conventional medicines.

The Discovery Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:53:00 -0400

As cannabis becomes more widely available, the need for reliable scientific research has never been greater. Cannabis safety depends on asking difficult questions and following the evidence wherever it leads. Research can identify overlooked risks, uncover therapeutic benefits, determine whether existing safety standards address the right concerns, improve patient care, and challenge assumptions driving public policy.

The Professional Standard Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:45:00 -0400

Cannabis safety depends on the knowledge and practices of the people responsible for patient care, product quality, education, and oversight. From physicians, nurses, and pharmacists to dispensary staff, manufacturers, laboratory professionals, regulators, educators, and emergency responders, each plays a role in ensuring that patients receive accurate information, safe products, and appropriate guidance and support.

The Lock it Down Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:49:00 -0400

Safe storage is one of the most direct ways households can reduce accidental cannabis consumption. Children can mistake edible products for familiar foods, while adults can unintentionally consume the wrong product, take more than intended, or use something without realizing it contains THC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)specifically recommends keeping cannabis in locked, child-resistant containers and out of the sight and reach of children and pets.

The Community Catalyst Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:05:00 -0400

Cannabis Safety Month was designed as a collaborative campaign because no single institution, agency, profession, or community can address cannabis safety alone. Patients experience the consequences of policy and product decisions; healthcare professionals see different risks in clinical settings; researchers generate evidence; businesses implement safety practices; regulators set standards; and community organizations often connect all these perspectives.

The Freshness by Design Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:52:00 -0400

Ensuring product safety doesn’t end when cannabis reaches the shelf. It continues through storage, handling, and the moment a patient uses it. Light, air, moisture, temperature, packaging, and handling can all affect the quality and integrity of cannabis over time. ASA’s Freshness by Design Award recognizes innovations designed to protect products through the final stages of the supply chain.

The Flower Forward Award Nominees: Cannabis Safety Awards 2026

Steph Sherer — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:03:00 -0400

Inhalation is an important route of administration for many medications, including several FDA-approved drugs. Inhalation provides rapid onset, avoids first-pass metabolism, reduces systemic side effects, and increases bioavailability.