Wamm Phytotherapies

Compassion resumes on March 1st when SB-34, the Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary Act goes into effect. Signed into law by Governor Newsom, SB-34 restores the ability of legal cannabis suppliers to provide free cannabis to the neediest patients in California without paying taxes.

Longtime medical cannabis advocate and Co-Founder of WAMM (Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana), the nation’s oldest medical cannabis collective, Valerie Corral will mark the occasion by officially launching WAMM Phytotherapies Compassion Program, which will begin operating regularly in Santa Cruz at KindPeoples on Ocean Street.

“It’s darkly ironic that after being at the forefront of the cannabis movement for decades, including facing a DEA raid in 2002 and the threat of ten years in prison, it was legalization that closed WAMM’s doors,” says WAMM co-founder Valerie Corral. “But we never stopped pushing back—along with our many allies in the community. And now that the laws have changed to once again allow compassionate giving, we’re pioneering a new, holistic way to offer phytotherapeutic and alternative care.”

KindPeoples has generously donated their space and infrastructure while WAMM Phytotherapies transitions into their new home so that pre-approved, registered WAMM Phytotherapies participants can receive their medicine in a safe and accessible location in the heart of the city.

“We’re so proud to be working with Valerie and to help provide this vital service to the Santa Cruz community,” says Khalil Moutawakkil, CEO and Co-Founder of KindPeoples, which started as a medical cannabis collective when it was founded in 2014. “Thanks to this new legislation we can get back to our roots and together we can build a model for compassionate care that other cities and counties will want to follow.” 

For WAMM Phytotherapies, holding regular meetups marks a first step towards reemerging at a new, permanent location in Santa Cruz, where they will provide not just cannabis, but also access to alternative therapies and a shared space for community meetings and events focused on healing and mutual support. They are currently raising funds towards the opening of WAMM Phytotherapies WellBeing Community Center. 

WAMM Phytotherapies’ purpose is to provide hope, well-being and community through education that promotes access to plant-based and other alternative therapies and is inspired by the pioneering medical cannabis collective, the Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), co-founded in 1993 by Valerie & Mike Corral.

The mission-driven collective was inspired by a community of sick and dying members, many who suffered from serious and life-threatening conditions, informed by their critical need and nourished through a partnership of solidarity that championed the message of compassion and inclusivity.

Thank you for your support of WAMM Phytotherapies and compassionate cannabis.