Marijuana iPhone App Introduced To Organize Advocates

WASHINGTON -- A new iPhone app will help medical marijuana advocates get involved in the fight against the federal crackdown on marijuana, and can even tell them where to locate businesses that support legalization of the drug.

The app, launched on Wednesday by the largest medical marijuana advocacy group in the country, Americans for Safe Access, will serve as an information hub for long-time patients as well as political newcomers. The app provides an array of updates on the rapidly evolving political battles playing out on the local and federal levels and keeps users keyed in to community actions.

"Because of the nature of our advocacy, there's breaking news all the time and we really needed to find a more direct way to get in touch with our members," said ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer. "We also see this as a way of bringing in new members and helping people navigate the complicated world of medical marijuana advocacy."

It really matters to medical marijuana advocates which businesses are supporting the movement, Sherer adds. The ASA has vetted shops listed in the app to ensure that they are contributing to the movement in ways consistent with the organization's values. "They want to know how they can make their dollar count."

Designed for ASA by medical marijuana website iWeeds, the Americans for Safe Access app will help activists get all their news -- newsletters, video advocacy trainings and legal manuals -- in one place.

By empowering individuals at the grassroot level, Sherer and her team hope to summon the strength of their 50,000-member network to push back against the federal intervention in state medical marijuana laws, which has already forced hundreds of shops in California to close. "We're pretty excited," said Sherer.

The app will also be available on Android and other devices by April. For more information on the service, there's this:

Comments

[artist-53]

10:18 AM on 01/04/2012

my take on the Med MJ issue. Being that this Administration came out recently and stated that MJ has no medicinal qualities, which I find to be an absurd statement.......Any way, it's my gut feeling that tells me, it's the Gov. that is paving the way to solidify a deal that will allow Big PharmCo's to control Med MJ/MM.

The Gov also has used it's law enforcement to actually act as a private army which in turns, feeds the Prison Industrial Complex.

It's a total sham, by which those in DC are so in bed with Big PhrmCo's, while every day people are subjected to irrational laws.

PharmCo's are the one's being protected as we the citizens are persecuted. And that totally irks me. Our tax dollars are going to help Big PharmCo.s and politicians sit back and wait for campaign contributions as payback for their part in keeping all of America in the dark concerning MM.

I resent what they have done and probably will be doing in the future in terms of legalization.

[Claudia L]

09:12 AM on 12/29/2011

When pot is finally legalized we should pay college kids $50 an hour to pick it and call it a Scholarship Grant. How much does an OZ go for?

[karen lyons kalmenson]

12:59 PM on 12/27/2011

hope this smokin new app will be on the ipad/pod too

[Sean Porter]

04:02 PM on 12/26/2011

I don't want an MJ ap. I want it legalized!

[FBatRNC]

10:26 AM on 12/23/2011

It's just a matter of time before Apple bans this app. They shouldn't, but they probably will cave to some type of anti-cannabis organization.

[authorized-user]

03:26 PM on 12/22/2011

"The ASA has vetted shops listed in the app to ensure that they are contributing to the movement in ways consistent with the organization's values. "

This app will also help the cops find these stores.

[IndyGuy]

07:38 PM on 12/22/2011

That's exactly what I was thinking! I wouldn't use that App at all.

[Xavier Pattonson]

03:32 AM on 12/22/2011

Do any of the petitions you see every actually go anywhere to do any good? This seems like an ideal one to get your name on a list with a couple of hundred thousand others to submit to Congress and the etcs...any one know who or how?

[tuff guy]

10:42 PM on 12/21/2011

finally, some good news.

[claygooding]

09:20 PM on 12/21/2011

Let's see,,,apps for advocates,apps for locating dispensaries,apps for news articles on marijuana,the number 1 cash crop in America,the #1 question on every public participation activity from the Whitehouse,,,are we mainstream enough to legalize yet?

[IndyGuy]

07:39 PM on 12/22/2011

No because the government wastes time, money, police resources to keep their war on drugs going. A shame! Perhaps this newer generation will finally legalize ALL of it, not just medical pot!

[knbyt]

08:56 PM on 12/21/2011

wow. good for these people. i don't even smoke and can't afford an iphone. just goes to show a lot of really smart people (with good paying jobs) want marijuana legalized for medical use. and probably recreational.

[hoillyana]

08:01 PM on 12/21/2011

This is a good read!

[AlfredE69]

07:33 PM on 12/21/2011

Obama, end your war on drugs, don't be a bummer.

[IndyGuy]

07:41 PM on 12/22/2011

this is an area the President and the AG have messed up big time! I remember during the last Presidential race a young man in a wheel chair asked the soon to be President if he was going to legalize medical Marijuana. He said he'd look into but just balked at the idea.

[Rand Althor]

05:54 PM on 12/21/2011

Best way for you guys to get this legalized is to write to your local and national news organizations. Make it an issue they need to report on. Pass H.R. 2306 and end the federal prohibition on marijuana. Let states deal with it the way they want. Until H.R. 2306 is passed states can do what they like but it will still be legal. Posting in forums like this is unproductive - if you want to make a difference start messaging and emailing your local news.

[Gary Rose]

10:50 PM on 12/21/2011

And yet here you are posting in forums, presumable because you think it is a productive way to get people to do something.

[IndyGuy]

07:42 PM on 12/22/2011

And that will do what exactly?! It will go nowhere cause the war on drugs is big business.

[RMForbes]

05:44 PM on 12/21/2011

Everything helps but I would like to see more open debate around fully ending the prohibition of cannabis including hemp. After all, the reason that cannabis was taxed and regulated out of domestic production in first place was the competition hemp posed to forest industry paper products and the synthetic fibers economic interests.

[Daniel Zook]

01:29 PM on 12/22/2011

I agree. I would love to see this debated on the 2016 or 2020 presidential platforms.

[RMForbes]

02:08 PM on 12/22/2011

I believe we need to start this debate today. We need to make sure there are Liberate Cannabis/Hemp Initiatives on every ballot in every state next November.

[Joey Ismail]

05:33 PM on 12/21/2011

Great idea. The faster people become involved, the faster this stupidity will end.