The term Oaksterdam once referred to a stretch of Telegraph Avenue filled with unregulated marijuana dispensaries. Since passing landmark marijuana regulations, Oakland has seen the rise of well-run, successful, and large-scale cannabis dispensaries from downtown to the Fruitvale waterfront. With related businesses like Oaksterdam University and the Cannabis Buyers Cooperative, it is no surprise that Oakland is the center of a growing cultural change toward mainstream cannabis consumption. Richard Lee, the founder of Oaksterdam University, recently announced he had gathered enough signatures to place a "Tax and Regulate" marijuana-legalization initiative on the California ballot. AlterNet, a liberal news website, features an informative article about the genesis and evolution of the Tax and Regulate Cannabis 2010 initiative, headed to the November ballot.

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