Dear Friend,
On Monday,
April 2, my school -- Oaksterdam University in Oakland -- was raided by
the DEA, IRS, and US Marshals. Oaksterdam provides training to the
medical cannabis industry, and is fully compliant with state and local
law.
President Obama promised at the beginning of his administration to
respect state medical marijuana laws. He has broken this promise time
and time again -- and the consequences have been devastating.
This
was a senseless act of intimidation. But I've been an activist far too
long to become intimidated -- and with the majority of Americans and
common sense on our side, I know this is a fight we can win.
With our government trillions in debt, why is our government using
taxpayer dollars to come after me, Oaksterdam, and the thousands of
patients who need medical marijuana just to get through the day?
Tell
President Obama and the DEA: Enough is enough. Keep your campaign
promise, and stop the raids on the medical cannabis industry!
Thanks for your support,
Richard Lee
National Cannabis Industry Association
Six National Drug Policy Organizations Call on President Obama to End Unnecessary Assault on Medical Marijuana Providers
Coalition to President Obama: “It is time for a new approach on marijuana policy.”
Contact: Aaron Smith, NCIA executive director, (707) 291-0076,
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In
the wake of recent attacks on medical marijuana providers and patients
by multiple branches of the federal government, including Monday's raids
on Oaksterdam University in Oakland, CA, a coalition of six national
drug policy reform organizations is appealing to President Obama and his
administration to follow its own previously stated policies respecting
state medical marijuana laws. In the letter, posted in full below, the
organizations call on the Obama administration to bring an end to the
federal government’s ongoing campaign to undermine state efforts to
regulate safe and legal access to medical marijuana for those patients
who rely on it.
Oaksterdam Get Down Slideshow
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Oaksterdam Get Down
Come join the fun!
Last Sunday of every month.
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Every last Sunday of the month means the totally peaceful, completely awesome Oaksterdam Get Down hosted by our friends at OaksterdamNews.Com. Visit 375 15th Street in downtown Oakland between noon and 6 p.m. every last Sunday of the month, for the event that cures racism: namely, a police-sanctioned, marijuana-friendly block party. Any bad bones in your body will be cured by cannabis-infused hamburgers and barbecue sauce, and the good bones will be nothing but magnified. Come early for the live music, and stay late for the love.
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Oakland riots after verdict in police shooting of Oscar Grant
Officer who shot dead unarmed African American cleared of murder but
found guilty of involuntary manslaughter
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Federal Court: Juries free to acquit |
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Written by Martin Williams
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Saturday, 10 June 2006 |
Appellate ruling affirms Feds can disregard medical rights, juries cannot be punished for their verdicts
When cannabis activist and “guru of ganja” Ed Rosenthal was convicted on cannabis cultivation charges in 2003, federal judge Charles Breyer gave him only a day behind bars — time served — due to extenuating circumstances.
Many considered it a victory; but not Rosenthal. He appealed his conviction, and in an extraordinary turn of events, members of his jury came forth to disavow their own verdict after they learned that the cannabis was medicine and the grow-book author was working as an appointed deputy of the Oakland city government.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS - Latest dispensary reviews. Oaksterdam News Photos by Jaime Galindo 
“Jurors cannot fairly determine the outcome of a case
if they believe they will face ‘trouble’ for a conclusion they reach as
jurors,” said the majority opinion. “The threat of punishment works a
coercive influence on the jury’s independence, and a juror who
genuinely fears retribution might change his or her determination of
the issue for fear of being punished.”
 Hash selection on hand
Last summer, the US Supreme Court, in its Gonzalez v. Raich decision, again rejected allowing defendants to raise medical marijuana or state law as a defense against federal drug charges.
Legal activists argue that, by denying jurors access to “the whole truth” about cannabis offenses, federal courts give every juror the “reasonable doubt” needed to acquit cannabis defendants. They point out that alcohol Prohibition also led to a refusal of jurors to convict.
Federal prosecutors have several options, such as asking the court to reconsider, appealing to the Supreme Court or going ahead with a new trial. |
Martin Williams |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 24 September 2006 )
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The Men's Wearhouse George Zimmer
