richard lee
2012 High Times Medical Marijuana Cannabis Cup San Francisco Winners
Marijuana.net is proud to be at the 2012 High Times Medical Marijuana Cannabis Cup in San Francisco. If you are in the bay area stop by and say hello to us. The weekend’s events have treated us to so much including engaging speakers, top quality products and industry updates. There were also some of the world’s highest quality medical strains on display. The weekend was to be capped off by announcing the results of the highly anticipated awards show. We updated the results live as they were announced. Below you can check out the full list of Cannabis Cup winners, and be sure to see all the photos we took at the event:
Best Indica
1. Cordero Kush Platinum from San Jose Patients Group
2. Master Yoda Kush from Kush Connection
3. Cherry Cola from Sonoma County Collective
Best Sativa
1. Premium Jack Herer from Playbud Delivery Service
2. Yogi Diesel from Elemental Wellness in San Jose
3. XJ13 Cracker Jack from Santa Cruise Mountain Naturals
Best Hybrid
1. Larry OG Kush from Cali Connection
2. Ken’s Phantom from Grand Daddy Purple Collective
3. OG Sky from Buddies Cannabis
Best Concentrates
1. Hardcore OG Butter from Superior Extracts for West Coast Cures
2. OG Super Sexy Budder from L.A. Confidential
3. Unfuckwitable OG Wax from Venice Medical Wax Center
Best Solventless Hash Concentrate
1. Solventless Bamf Hash from Buds and Roses
Best Product
1. Mama P’s Grinders
2. Ko Nail
3. V Syndicate Grinder Card
Best Glass
1. Hitman Glass
2. Pulse Glass
3. Dope Ass Glass
Best Booth
1. Mama P’s
2. Elemental Wellness
3. Cali Connection
Best Edibles
1. Organic Medicated Truffles from Hills Pharmacy
2. Canna Chocolate from Tea House Collective
3. Spicy Orange Drops from Greenway Compassion Relief Inc.
Best CBD Strain
1. Master Control Unit ATF from Hills Pharmacy (MCU ATF)
2. Lemon remedy from Harborside Health Center San Jose
3. Harlequin from Buds and Roses
Dr. Lester Grinspoon Award For Lifetime Achievement
1. Richard Lee, Activist and Founder of Oaksterdam University
Medical Marijuana Industry News April 20, 2012
420 Recognized Around the World…
Today people are gathering around the world in celebration of the hugely popular international marijuana holiday. Events will be held in appreciation for everything marijuana has to offer. Marijuana support has been growing steady and the community, as always, peaceful and fun gatherings are expected. Fortunately this year 420 falls on a Friday, leaving the entire weekend full of events. Marijuana.net will be at the High Times Medical Marijuana Cup in Denver. We will be celebrating 420 by providing patient awareness and education at the cup. You may also find us mingling with patients at the Deep Green Festival in San Franscisco. Check back tomorrow for a history on The Cannabis Cup and other 420 events.
Click here for More on the History of how 420 came to be
Oaksterdam Reopens in Limited Capacity…
Patients and dispensary workers were happy to find out that Oaksterdam has opened its doors again. News of Oaksterdam University’s raid by federal authorities drew national attention. Patients, students, and dispensary workers were shocked but claims to see the university open again proved true. The school had to release 25 employees at the school and another 20 dispensary workers affiliated with Oaksterdam after federal authorities seized assets. Oaksterdam is currently going to be operating at a smaller capacity and they will not use actual marijuana in classes and demonstrations. Richard Lee will not be overseeing Oaksterdam.
Proposed Law In California Could Make Local Municipalities Permit Marijuana Dispensaries…
Local governments have adopted different interpretations of California’s medical marijuana program. Some municipalities have attempted to ban dispensaries with others limiting them. There have been conflicting court rulings making the legalities even less clear. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has introduced legislation that could fix legal inconsistencies in California. AB 2312, The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Control Act, would set a standard for California medical marijuana law. It would actually require municipalities to permit medical marijuana dispensaries. The bill has cleared its initial hurdle and was passed by the Assembly Committee on Public Safety. Many think the bill has a legitimate chance to pass and now will go before the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Richard Lee Forced to Walk Away from Oaksterdam yet remains Positive
Marijuana.net hopes you all had a nice holiday weekend. With so much preparation for the holiday it can be difficult to keep up with new developments in the medical marijuana industry. While we wish the only updates were related to Easter egg hunts and Passover Seders, patients learned that their struggles do not take a rest, even during the holidays.
The Oaksterdam raid by federal authorities has generated considerable attention in the media nationwide. Richard Lee, who ran the university as well as a medical marijuana dispensary has decided to give up his business operations. The news is troubling for many patients and advocates who have found inspiration through his tireless efforts. Richard Lee is well known for his dedication to patients and spent over 1.5 million dollars in an attempt to pass proposition 19, a measure aimed at legalizing marijuana in California. After the raids of his home and businesses, Mr. Lee is left with few options and has been forced to shut his doors to patients. He may face many years in jail, and federal law even calls for the death sentence in cases where an individual possess over 60,000 plants. Richard Lee admitted he did not know how many plants were seized during the raid though it still seems unlikely he would face execution.
Fortunately, Mr. Lee is utilizing an upbeat approach to his situation, despite facing what may be a lengthy jail sentence, or worse. He sees his situation as a possible motivation point for activists. Richard Lee recently stated “I think the nationwide coverage of the raid shows that there is a story here that a lot of people would like to see and like to hear about.” He also went on to say “We are getting very close to a tipping point on this issue,” and referenced the fact that Oaksterdam has trained approximately 15,000 individuals, many of which are willing to continue the march toward marijuana reform. The national coverage of the story may help Lee, as polls show that a vast majority of Americans support a physician’s right to prescribe marijuana to patients. A harsh sentence for Mr. Lee may result in a harsh public backlash.
We wish the best for Richard Lee as his efforts have provided compassionate relief for so many patients. While his legal downfall could help the future of medical marijuana, we do not want to lose focus on the individual. Hopefully, the federal government will find some sensibility and provide leniency on someone hoping to promote education, safety, and compassion.