Happy Holidaze From The SF Cannabis Patients' Union !
Thanks to the generosity of various medical cannabis collectives, growers and peer activists we've been taking care of the social, medical cannabis and food needs for hundreds of locals, for nearly a decade.
Your San Francisco Cannabis Patients Union has been putting together growers, patients (no to low income poor, disabled, vets and homeless neighbors) and the general community by way of daily, weekly and monthly meetings and BBQ's on the Streets and in the parks of San Francisco.
ABOUT THE XMAS BBQ:
This year, we had plans to give out xmas gifts of medical cannabis and make cost reimbursement medical cannabis available to you all between $80 to $100 per ounce, as usual.
That is the true cost of the collective that we were counting on to help make this a very festive and healing Christmas Day, for us all.
Whether you believe in Santa Cannabis Claus or not!
Well, this year we had a problem. Many of you did as we asked and had your money stacked up in advance, so we could get the meds from the collective and tender back the grow costs, all at once.
This improves the collective's cash flow and reduces risks to the SF Cannabis Union, who doesn't have to hold onto cash for weeks (or months) at a time between distributions.
We appreciate those of you who did just that, but still, did not have any opportunity to receive gifts of at cost meds this year. We apologize for that failure.
WHERE'S OUR MEDICAL CANNABIS?
We are still waiting to hear back from one collective, to see if any meds were in fact, distributed to any SF Cannabis Union Members this December, that was intended for us, or not.
The details are muddy but apparently, the collective's rep came down from the mountains a couple weeks ago, but I did not receive any responses to the text messages I sent in any timely manner.
I basically only found out he was in town, by the time he was actually leaving, like 8 or 10 hours after his arrival. I asked him directly if he had in fact, left cannabis for us as gifts or cost reimbursement basis (with any members of the SFCPU), but have not yet received an answer to that specific question.
To be honest, another SFCPU Member stated that he was 'given' a 'huge bag' of cannabis that was 'for him'. Then we asked that member later about it, and he stated 'the bag' was for the group… but we don't know what 'group' he was talking about and it was all gone!
No one in the SFCPU or that specific collective was told about or given or allowed to reimburse cost for any cannabis, whatsoever, until it all went up in smoke, a week or so later !!
And, this is exactly why myself and our attorney stepped up to require that all paperwork, meds and reimbursement cash would be kept only by us.
We have a lock box and a secure location for the paperwork (and flash drive copies of scanned paperwork), cash and cannabis to be distributed to our SFCPU & Collective Members. We always weigh and often test the meds, upon arrival and keep accurate records for Trusted Distribution.
You can see us, on the streets every day, sharing, passing gifts to our members and local supporters.
We have meetings every week and month to insure that whatever meds we have are consistently shared proportionately to all, making it last as long as possible, throughout the entire month.
We made that requirement because many, many months ago, another SFCPU & Collective Member kept or passed out cannabis to others, but not to anyone in the SFCPU or Collective groups !!
We call that Theft By Conversion. Taking something of value meant for one thing and using for one's self only or for some other unintended purpose.
WE HATE THIEVES OF ALL KINDS!
So, the bottom line is -- we think our collective Intended for us to have gifts and cost reimbursement for us all this Christmas, but we're not sure until we get a direct answer back.
We think the person that received it failed to distribute same to any of our group members who are the collective patients who say they received nothing and heard nothing about the meds from that person.
Yet, everyone has everyone's elses phone numbers, emails and the SFCPU & Collective members meet every day and three times a week, every week for the past several years, at the same spot near 16th Street & Valencia, or within a block or two (for monthly meetings).
Needless to say, if meds were left FOR US and were given to myself or our attorney, as we REQUIRE, they would have all been presented to you at our Christmas BBQ, as we planned…
Karla, myself and others are pretty upset about this. We had a system that was working and now, the system changed and we all feel like we got screwed for Christmas and many of you are hurting but have no affordable meds for the holidays.
WE ARE FIXING THIS PROBLEM RIGHT NOW!
Ok. It's true. Life happens, shit happens, I got that. Every collective or group has problems or issues, I get that too.
But…
This SF Cannabis Union was started BECAUSE you all complained about:
1. Upscale for profit pricing of medical cannabis at dispensaries.
2. Rude treatment of vets and 'homeless' looking folks by the upscale dispensary staff and security.
3. Some of the folks you didn't like at this collective or that collective.
4. Only being given a one-time single 1/4, 1/2 or Ounce of cannabis for copies of your paperwork and not being able to get copies of the collective paperwork you sign with various collectives.
5. Not getting a regular weekly or monthly distribution as a gift or at cost due to personal or political issues between various collectives and leaders.
6. Being given sub-standard meeds on a regular basis, instead of getting quality meds as a standard, and lower quality being only an exception when there are legitimate supply problems.
7. Having your paperwork stolen or re-used at multiple grows for different growers without your knowledge or permission.
For these reasons and others, the San Francisco Cannabis Patients' Union was started FOR YOU. To have a source that is trusted.
A group that treats you with respect, accounts for all that is does and keeps your meds, membership, grower relations safe and in good working order to NOT do the things you disliked in other groups or cannabis spots you associate with.
This Cannabis BBQ Folley is exactly why we stick to the foundational reasons of why we formed this cannabis union for us all, in the first place.
To protect us from anything that stands in the way of your secure, free and at cost access to quality meds, on a regular and timely basis.
From Grower to you at lowest cost possible, minus a thousand 'for profit' middle men in-between -- who want to make money from your medical needs and pre-existing natural and human rights to safe cannabis, without man's permission or takings or burdens upon you.
NEW GAME PLAN:
To help you fix all losing out on your holiday meds, and to prevent future screwups, we are doing the following to make it all up to you, as best we can:
1. NEW DOMAIN NAMES - NEWS & MOM and POP TRADING POST SITES:
We've been gifted several pre-existing Domain Names (i.g. Ganja-Mon.Com, GreenRushGeneralStore, etc) to be used to share marijuana news, investigate cannabis frauds, bad laws, taxation, monopolies and give you all a place to meet, trade, purchase cannabis related lands, materials, opportunities in California and beyond.
Everyone, especially northern californians can submit stories, health, grow, best practice, law tips and advertise their mom & pop or not for profit operations, crafts, supplies, services to folks we already know and trust.
2. We're Reaching Out to Existing Growers & Collectives:
Anyone who knows us, realizes that when one of us is needs a thing, we are not alone. We can help one person with one thing or we can realize many have same need and with about the same amount of effort, we can help many instead of just one.
So, we are reaching out to several new growers and collective groups, so we have multiple backups, in case any one group, for any reason, fails to deliver cannabis to myself or our attorney, for members of the SF Cannabis Patients' Union or members of the specific collective from whence the cannabis comes.
Our leaders are going to visit grows up around the Russian River in January and perhaps another in Santa Cruz and Sacramento to see about our group having multiple backups so you don't ever have to suffer long (or during special times like xmas/Chanukah holidays, New Years, et al) without cannabis meds.
3. SUPPORT US TO COVER XMAS LOSSES !
RIGHT NOW we're putting a call out to all other local collectives with any meds to spare to come find me, James, or our attorney Karla Gottschalk to help with any amount of quality meds needed now, for our members who deserve to have a merry, painless Christmas.
We have a core group of 10 members who are all here in one spot, almost all the time.
Another 20 to 25 'regular' or available members are scattered around the city, but we can reel them in to pick up from us at 16th & Mission area.
4. SEEKING NEW GROWERS & COLLECTIVES:
In line with our founding reasons for this patients' union, we are implementing the following requirements for about five growers or collectives we are seeking to meet our members' needs:
A. We meet face to face with our attorney to construct a regularly scheduled meeting spot and time for transfers of medical cannabis distributions and collective, grow or medical paperwork copies (unless we store them for grower/collective in attorney-client custody relationship, for safekeeping).
B. No unsecured emails, texts or voice contact for the best patient medical privacy and security practices possible.
C. Funds for at cost reimbursements to grower/collectives will be collected from our Member Patients on a Weekly Basis and stored in a lock box and tendered to each Grower/Collective on a Monthly Basis (or per regular schedules in Item #1 above).
5. REGULAR DISTRIBUTION OF MEDS:
Meds will be distributed to regular supporter members every few days and to others at the regular weekly meetings, like we've always done.
Members who prepaid their costs can come to weekly meetings for all or part (we can store a limited amount of meds for folks who for any reason, can't afford to risk having all their meeds at once -- or want our help to 'regulate' their meeds until the next supply) of their meds, if they R.S.V.P. in advance.
6. MEMBERSHIP/COLLECTIVE SUSPENSIONS:
From now onward, any San Francisco Cannabis Patients' Union Member who solicits, obtains or receives any medical cannabis that is intended by the Giver to go to Our Union or Collective Group and fails to do so, shall be SUSPENDED from our patients' union and collectives for a period of 90 Days.
A Second Offense shall result in a Suspension of 180 Days OR Termination of Membership, to be decided by a Vote by Members in Good Standing at a Monthly Meeting.
All Members are free to beg, solicit, borrow, set up meetings for medical cannabis for the SFCPU and our collectives and use our name in doing so, for the benefit of us all.
But, only myself, James the Advocate and our Attorney, Karla Gottshalk are authorized to negotiate, make agreements or contracts with Growers/Collectives and to Tender medical paperwork, monies for true costs and expenses and receive medical cannabis on behalf of our SFCPU & Collective Member Patients, for proper and timely distribution.
COME MEET US FACE TO FACE!
If you have any questions, tips, ideas, contacts or resources to share, meet us face to face around 16th Street & Valencia on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, from 4pm to 7pm ( Text in advance or upon arrival to 4 1 5 5 3 4 x 7 3 4 2 )
BECOME A MEMBER PATIENT!
If you want to be or already are a Member of the San Francisco Cannabis Patients' Union or its collectives, bring us a crisp copy of your medical paperwork and California ID. We can scan them out in the field.
The farther out your expiration date of paperwork or ID Cards, the better.
No one with a valid set of docs will be denied access to cannabis gifts or meds at cost, as long as its valid on the day your meds are received (or held in trust for you).
MORE ON THE XMAS DAY BBQ AT 16th ST & VALENCIA!
Whew! It's 10am, day after Christmas and I've done typing…. BTW, aside from not having medical cannabis for our regular members and new members, the XMAS BBQ yesterday, was a success !!
We fed scores of folks with several chickens, hot dogs, louisiana hot links, chili dogs, Jimmy Dean pork sausages, pasta, jalepenos! and Santa Cannabis Claus did come by and passed out joints to us all.
We had fun. We built up community across all lines and folks came by to give us sweets and treats which we shared immediately to all around us. Some folks we hadn't seen in years showed up. And as usual, the SF Fire Department Folks we love and support came by to make sure all was under control. We've been doing BBQ's for years now, safely and happily feeding locals who are almost always hungry!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED FAITH AND SUPPORT IN ALL THAT WE ALL DO -- FOR EACH OTHER.
A little twisted wisdom and wit:
ALL FOR ONE. ONE FOR ALL!
UNITED WE STAND. DIVIDED WE FALL!
DIVIDE US. WE MULTIPLE.
EVICT US - WE RE-OCCUPY!
KILL US. WE RISE IN POWER.
LOCAL CRIME NOTE:
Crime in the mission has risen greatly. Lots of assaults, robberies of cell phones, devices, laptops, backpacks have been happening since September. Many by the same small group of thugs preying on the poor, disabled, homeless and device distracted folks in and around the Mission District.
MANY homeless folks and supporters who camp out with them have been attacked and had their stuff stolen multiple times -- by the same group of thugs who come out early mornings and prey on our residents on the streets near 16th Street and Sanchez, and all around 16th Street & Valencia, South Van Ness and all over the Mission.
Please if you are out late at night, cruise around in pairs (never alone) and try to keep watch on our sleeping homeless.
We've been giving tips like:
1. DO NOT SLEEP OUT ALONE, EVER.
2. Wrap around or tie down and hide your backpacks, purses, wallets around your legs or arms or under your head or hidden in your sleeping bag to prevent 'obvious opportunistic' thefts. Keep your valuables at some indoor safe location, whenever possible.
3. Designate a Watcher or Guard Duty person to cruise around several groups of homeless close by to each other. Rotate that job so that only one person loses sleep each week for a night but everyone is safer.
4. We're going to sell survival and security devices on one of the web sites we were gifted.
5. Set up cheap obamaphones or androids with security video apps that records or sets off alarms if it detects motion around you or the device is picked up without permission.
I'll trade a cup of coffee to help homeless folks to set up security on their devices or backpacks, et cetera.
6. Write down the manufacturer, model number of all phones, computers, devices you own, right now and keep that record in your pocket or leave it with me. Also, write down your Blue Tooth and Wifi MAC (aka unique machine addresses) and IMEI Numbers which can be tracked in case they are stolen.
7. Always make out police reports for all thefts immediately. Believe it or not, there are SFPD detectives who are trying to track down the most active thieves, but if they don't know about a crime or have good descriptions of suspects and good stolen, they can't catch them.
Myself and our legal peers can help you file Police Reports online or find someone to escort you to police station, if need be.
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| Making Crime Maps |
One of our peer groups, The San Francisco People's Task Force has been starting to collect crime data for areas of the Mission which contain detailed descriptions of crimes and suspect details and putting them into a database for analysis.
The more data we have the faster we can catch the few who do the most harm to our people to keep us all safer.
Without your police report or story being shared, its very hard to prevent the thefts and assaults that have doubled in the past few years due to gentrification and lack of 'walking the beat' community policing.
Be safe! Happy Holidays!
s/James The Advocate
Co-Founder SF Cannabis Patients' Union
