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Volume 2 Issue 4 - Autumn 2006
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| Dispensary Reviews |
Part 4 in our series of reviews: Tour de Los Angeles
Odam News reviews Los Angeles dispensaries
Amazing! Los Angeles is a big city with even bigger outskirts known for its ability to make things “bling-bling.” So, when it comes to their new cannabis retail scene, as we discovered during our recent tour de LA, the area shines like the finest of diamonds. For example: the SF, Sacramento, Berkeley, Hayward and Oakland cannabis scenes combined still would not add up to LA's burgeoning and diverse medical marijuana distribution network. It's
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| Growing pains |
SF dispensaries win an extension, face problems
San Francisco's system of cannabis outlets got an extension into mid-2007 to reorganize under new regulations that make many relocations both mandatory and extremely difficult to achieve. In the arrangement agreed upon by the City Aug. 8, more than 30 existing dispensaries have been allowed to operate, as well as delivery services.
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| Your tax dollars at work |
Tax watchdog calls Drug War a waste
The Washington DC-based Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a report June 26 strongly critical of the Drug War. Wasted in the War on Drugs: Office of National Drug Control Policy's Wasted Efforts takes ONDCP to task for functioning inefficiently and failing to achieve its core objectives.
“Billions of dollars marked for the war on drugs are being wasted on ineffective and counterproductive policies,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.
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| California Cities |
Three cities to vote on local LLEP initiatives Nov 7:
Voters qualify reform ballot initiatives across California
Voters in the cities of Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, and Santa Barbara will have the opportunity to make a statement that it's time to stop wasting law enforcement resources investigating, arresting, and prosecuting adult marijuana users on election day , November 7. Committees in all three cities submitted enough signatures to qualify their lowest law enforcement priority for marijuana offenses initiatives (LLEP) for the ballots, and the c
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| Rest In Peace |
Lynn Zimmer passes; co-author of Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts
Dr. Lynn Zimmer, cannabis researcher and long-time associate of Dr. John Morgan, with whom she wrote the landmark book, Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts, passed on June 30 at age 59, after a long illness. She was an intellectual leader in drug policy reform.
Professor Zimmer, a sociologist at Queens College in New York, was widely regarded among both drug policy scholars and activists as one of the most original thinkers on drug issues in the US.
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| Prison industry |
Prison reform surfaces as issue in state, prison lobby, police unions keep legalization off table
Over-crowding, corruption and brutality dog state system
Prison abuse has been an ongoing problem in California since education budgets were cut to fund a prison-building spree that began in the 1980s. Gray Davis was recalled as governor in part due to the perception that he was bought and paid for by the prison lobby and police union. Gov. Schwarzenegger won election in part based on his claim to get away from “special interests” and clean up the prisons.
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| How-To |
 | Drugsense begins activist how-to series
A Letter to the Editor, or LTE, is a published response to an article or opinion expressed within various media. It has tremendous power because it is often seen as representing the “voice of the people” in a newspaper or magazine, and research suggests that a high percentage of newspaper readers start with the columns, op-ed, and LTE section. Additionally, the print space allotted to the average LTE is equivalent to $1,000 in advertising, so writing letters is a truly valuable form
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| Growing Support |
Presbyterian Church Endorses Medical Marijuana
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church June 21 became the latest US religious body to endorse legal access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients. The church joins the United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, Union for Reform Judaism, Progressive National Baptist Convention, and Unitarian Universalist Association in support of medical marijuana.
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| Cannabinoids |
ICRS meets in Tihany, Hungary
Cannabis may help Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease victims; Israel has its own MMJ program
The 2006 International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) meeting brought together funding agencies, industry and the academic community to exchange new information and ideas about cannabis and cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are components of the cannabis plant, including tetrahydrocannbinol (THC) or Cannabidiol (CBD). There are also endogenous Cannabinoids or cannabinoids synthesized by our body, such as
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| Sponsors |
Support our advertisers
The following are ads placed in our print edition by our sponsors. Please be sure and mention you saw their advertisement on the Oaksterdam News website. Have a related business to promote? Oaksterdam News has a wide range of advertising options available, please visit our Advertising information section for details, pricing, online ordering and contact information.
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| Local Rules | Eight counties and 23 cities regulate cannabis outlets
The regulation of marijuana sales within the state continues, despite opposition by the federal government, drug police and local officials in some counties.
Several dispensaries have functioned within the state since before Prop 215, mostly in the San Francisco Bay area. However, the big surge has been since the passage of SB 420, which allows patients to work collectively and creates limited immunity from sections of the law that otherwise ban cultivation, sales and having a place where cannabi
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| Tax & Regulate |
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MPP puts 'tax and regulate' language on Nevada and Santa Cruz ballots
More votes in Congress, advances in states
What do President George Bush, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and former President Bill Clinton all have in common?
They all smoked marijuana. And they all managed to avoid arrest and jail for doing so. And - whatever one thinks of their views or policies - they all went on to achieve extraordinary success. And that success gives the lie to claims by the likes of White House Drug Czar John Walters that marijuana is &ldq
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| DEA vs Democracy | Delivery services take off as Feds and county go after San Diego dispensaries
The DEA and local law enforcement officials moved to shut down San Diego's proliferating medical cannabis clubs.
Drug agents raided half of the city's collective dispensaries on July 6. Owners and employees were charged with selling marijuana to agents presenting doctors' recommendations. Two weeks later, DEA agents visited the other half and warned them to close or face arrest.
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| Local Leaders |
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Mayor-elect Dellums to Oaksterdam, Measure Z: ?I'm here to support you?
District 2 candidate Allison courts cannabis friendly votes
Former US Congressman, cannabis law reformer and past NORML board member Ron Dellums, became the mayor elect of Oakland winning the primary outright avoiding a runoff.
When asked about Oakland's Measure Z clubs, which first opened after Measure Z became law in November of 2004 with 65 percent of the vote, Dellums replied, “I'm here to support you.” The Oakland Regulation and Revenue Ordinance makes private sales, cultivation a
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| SAFER |
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SAFER petition drive places marijuana legalization initiative on CO ballot
Colorado voters will decide
Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) submitted 129,000 signatures Aug. 7 from Colorado citizens who support a state ballot initiative to legalize adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. To qualify for the ballot, 67,829 of the signatories must be state-registered voters. The Secretary of State must verify the signatures and by Sept. 6 declare whether a sufficient number of registered voters signed the petition.
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| New City Policy | West Hollywood adopts new city policy: Do not target adult marijuana offenders
City joins move to accept cannabis
It's official. On June 19, the West Hollywood City Council passed a resolution that declared it policy that “ the City of West Hollywood does not target marijuana offenses” and directs the public safety commission to review narcotics-related law enforcement statistics annually.
In effect, this policy directs the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is contracted with the City to handle its policing (it does not have its own police forc
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| ASA Update |
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Americans for Safe Access update: Fighting for patients, from counties to Congress
Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is pursuing litigation in localities throughout California to support safe, legal access. Its local affiliates hold regular meetings and special meetings to address events as they unfold. Meanwhile, right after opening its new Washington DC office, ASA launched its lobbying effort for a bill amendment attempting to end federal raids. It is supported by grants and contributions.
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| Oaksterdam |
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Oaksterdam: Ten years old and gaining international recognition
On the Fourth of July, 1996, Jeff Jones moved the Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Cooperative, his medical marijuana delivery service, into a fifth floor office space at 1755 Broadway in Uptown Oakland. This historic moment was made possible in large part by Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, who spearheaded numerous resolutions while on the Oakland City Council, eventually deputizing Jones as a cannabis control officer in an effort to shield him from federal prosecution.
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| States Rights | Vermont judge rejects US Supreme Court decision
A Vermont judge June 15 rejected the latest US Supreme Court ruling to expand police power to search private homes without notice, citing state law. The Supreme Court recently held that evidence seized illegally and without first knocking could be used at trial, but that ruling did not change state laws to the contrary.
District Court Judge Robert Bent held that state police must knock and announce themselves before they can conduct a search, even with a warrant, or the evidence they find could b
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| DPA Anniversary |
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Drug Policy Alliance marks 10 years in California
Expanding medi cannabis nationally, defending Prop. 36 here
The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) was formed when the Lindesmith Center and Drug Policy Foundation merged to form the nation's leading organization working to end the Drug War. It envisions new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights, and a just society in which the fears, prejudice and punitive prohibitions of today are no more.
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| Law & Order | Cannabis outlet robbers caught and charged
The relationship between police and cannabis outlets has changed. Alameda County law enforcement is pursuing the people who victimized a dispensary and not the dispensary operators.
The Sheriff's office arrested Joseph McWoodson on robbery and murder charges for being involved in an armed robbery of a Natural Source dispensary on Aug. 19, 2005.
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| NORML | NORML Report: Out of the closet, into the statehouse:
TV travel show host Rick Steves asks legislators to decriminalize adult use
Best selling author, travel show host and NORML Advisory Board Member Rick Steves sent a letter in July to every state and federal elected policymaker in his home state of Washington asking them to immediately change state and federal laws such that marijuana possession and responsible adult use be decriminalized.
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| New Magazine | A changing landscape of cannabis publications
GreenKind magazine taking root in California
There is no shortage of glossy magazines with flashy bud shots: High Times, Heads and Cannabis Culture being the big three. However, they are all published in Canada or on the East Coast. In fact, California's last cannabis magazine was Mari Kane's HempWorld, which chronicled industrial hemp but had nothing to do with medical marijuana or adult consumption.
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Volume 2 
The Men's Wearhouse George Zimmer
