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Following California’s lead after 1996’s Proposition 215, medical marijuana is now legal in 14 states plus Washington, DC. On November 2, three more states will vote on medical marijuana. In California, voters will consider legalizing growing or possessing pot for recreational use, and many cities will vote on pot taxes and dispensary regulations. Our interactive map explains what’s legal where, and who will be voting on new pot laws next week.
On Thursday, the Oakland City Attorney’s Office announced it was suing four people for their alleged role in the looting and vandalism that followed the protests after the Johannes Mehserle verdict on July 8, 2010.
These marijuana numbers and statistics can provide an important general overview of what our country is facing with pot and Proposition 19, the California measure to legalize marijuana on the November 2nd ballot. To take you through trivia about drug arrests, marijuana use, and our attitudes about legalization, Oakland North built this interactive overview of doobie data.
This information helps voters make informed decisions, and helps the public detect any potential conflicts of interest that might tempt an official to use her office for personal gain. In California, this information is recorded on a document called the “Statement of Economic Interests,” or Form 700 under the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission.
In anticipation of the 2010 election, Oakland North asked the 10 candidates for Oakland mayor two questions: what distinguishes you from the other nine hopefuls and what would your top two priorities be as the city’s next mayor?
The Youth Vote 2010 forum, hosted by All City Council high school student leaders, was designed to give local students an experience with voting and the chance to come face-to-face with Oakland’s candidates. The forum included audience-submitted questions, followed by a vote for the top candidates.
As the heated California gubernatorial race moves into its final days, Oaklanders offer their opinions on who should take the seat. Will it be billionaire former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman or 1970s era governor and former mayor of Oakland, Jerry Brown? Oakland North went to the Temescal and City Center districts to find out. Check out all of our Oakland elections coverage on our Campaign 2010 page. Connect with Oakland North on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
In addition to being a health, economic and legal issue, Proposition 19 has now become a civil rights issue. According to two reports released within the last week by the Drug Policy Alliance and partnering civil rights organizations, blacks and Latinos are arrested anywhere from 2 to 13 times as often as whites for personal possession of marijuana.
Voting yes on Prop 23 means temporarily suspending (saying no to, that is) Assembly Bill 32. That state legislation, also called AB 32 and the Global Warming Solutions Act, was signed into law in 2006 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Click through to see an interactive graphic that provides a quick guide to some of the pro and con arguments and predicted effects of this controversial proposition.