Measure Z Facts

Measure Z Q & A

Measure Z Ordinance

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Measure Z Facts

Measure Z: Oakland's Alternative to the Failed War on Drugs
The federal government's war on drugs has been costly, ineffective, and unjust. Criminalizing cannabis (marijuana) has unfairly imprisoned thousands of non-violent offenders, including a disproportionate number of people of color. Measure Z would make private adult marijuana offenses the lowest police priority in Oakland, and directs the city to support changes in public policy regarding marijuana with the aim of regulating, licensing and taxing its sales to adults as soon as possible under California law.

Measure Z: Raising City Revenue by Ending the 'Wasteful War on Drugs'
Every year California spends $150 million to arrest, prosecute and imprison marijuana offenders. It makes more economic sense to raise money by taxing and regulating the adult use of marijuana, instead of spending money to criminalize it. Revenue raised will help pay for vital city services like schools, libraries, and health care. If adopted statewide, revenues raised could be up to $2.5 billion.

Measure Z: Improving Patient Care, Increasing Public Safety
Measure Z makes it easier for medical patients to buy medical marijuana from licensed Oakland businesses. Patients deserve safe, secure and affordable access to medicine. While we canÃ't change federal law, we can instruct our local police not to arrest or harass marijuana users. Our city deserves laws that protect its citizens, rather than those that cater to the agenda of John Ashcroft.

Measure Z: Controlling, not Criminalizing Marijuana
Measure Z controls marijuana sales; it does not legalize sales on the streets, near schools or to minors. Measure Z does not promote marijuana use, allow broadcast or billboard advertising, or smoking in public.

Measure Z: Broad Based Support for 'Solutions' Not 'Wars'
Community groups, elected officials, educators, religious leaders, and doctors all agree: Measure Z is the right thing to do. Supporters include the California Nurses Association, the Metropolitan Greater Oakland (MGO) Democratic Club, Family Council on Drug Awareness, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, State Senator Don Perata, California Superior Court Judge James P. Gray, Alameda County Supervisors Nate Miley and Keith Carson, and Oakland City Council members Nancy Nadel and Desley Brooks.

Measure Z Q & A

1. What is the purpose of the Oakland Cannabis
   Initiative?
This initiative will make private adult cannabis (marijuana) offenses the lowest police priority for Oakland. It also directs the city to support changes in public policy to allow licensing, sale, and regulation of marijuana for private adult use. The purpose of this ordinance is to reduce law enforcement costs, eliminate criminal traffickers, keep cannabis off the streets and away from children, raise much-needed revenue for the city, and advocate for sensible changes to cannabis law at the state level, and other levels of government as necessary.

2. What, specifically, would Measure Z do, if passed?
(1) Make investigation, arrest, prosecution and imprisonment for private adult marijuana offenses the lowest law enforcement priority, while continuing to enforce violations involving distribution to children, street sales and use, and motor vehicle violations.

(2) Establish a system to license, tax and regulate cannabis for adult use as soon as possible consistent with California law, with regulations to prevent access by minors, require good business practices and health and safety standards, prohibit sales near schools, limit public advertising, and license on-site consumption.

(3) Create a community oversight committee to monitor implementation of the ordinance and to monitor disbursement of funds raised through cannabis fees and taxes to ensure that they are being spent properly.

(4) Lobby the State (and other levels of government as necessary) for changes in law to allow Oakland and other communities to tax and license cannabis.

3. Why do you believe Measure Z is likely to pass?
In January 2004, a public opinion poll was commissioned of 600 Oakland likely voters. This poll found a whopping 90% of Oakland voters believe the federal war on drugs is a failure. A full 75% of respondents want the enforcement of private, adult cannabis offenses to be the lowest priority for law enforcement. In a July poll of 400 likely voters in Oakland, 70% supported the legalization of marijuana. When read the entire ballot language, 65% said they would support it, even after hearing arguments from the opposition.

In the past year, similar initiatives have passed in Seattle, Washington and Mendocino County, California. A recent article in the Seattle Times entitled "Marijuana Measure Called Effective by Supporters and Foes" reported that marijuana crimes are down since the measure was enacted. "The number of people prosecuted for pot possession has plummeted, and despite predictions of naysayers, there is no evidence of widespread public pot consumption as a result of the measure, which voters approved last year," it said.

It is politically safe in Oakland for elected officials to support cannabis law reform. When asked how they would feel about a politician who publicly supported changing cannabis policy toward a tax-and-regulate approach, 40% of likely voters said they would be more likely to vote that candidate, 39% said that it would make no difference in their vote, while only 16% would be less likely to vote for them.

4. Does this initiative violate the law?
No, this initiative does not violate the law¶ instead it seeks to change the law. The initiative does not force the city to break laws, but rather, calls upon the city to support efforts to reform California's laws. The initiative specifically avoids calling upon Oakland to implement the regulated and taxed sale of cannabis to adults until California law allows it.

5. Does Measure Z allow people to smoke marijuana in public?
No! This initiative seeks to take cannabis off the streets, and out of the hands of dangerous criminals, by moving it into regulated businesses. Public dealing and public consumption will continue to be illegal.

6. Will Measure Z help medical marijuana patients?
Yes. Oakland has shut down 75% of the medical marijuana dispensaries, forcing patients out onto the streets. Medical marijuana patients continue to face harassment and possible arrest just to acquire their medicine.

7. Who's supporting Measure Z?
Measure Z has a broad base of support, including elected officials, community groups, doctors, and patients. Here's a partial list:
Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Senator Don Perata
Senator John Vasconcellos
Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley
Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Oakland City Council member Nancy Nadel
Oakland City Council member Desley Brooks
Oakland School Board Member Dan Siegel
California Nurses Association
Democratic Party of Alameda County
Metropolitan Greater Oakland Democratic Club
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Dr. Frank Lucido, MD, Family Practice Physician
Rev. Harold Mayberry, FAME Church of Oakland

How can I help get Measure Z passed by a wide margin?
You can assist the initiative effort by volunteering in our office, by donating funds to help support this effort, and by making sure your friends and family vote Yes on Z! You may also sign up for our email newsletter by sending a message to our campaign manager Joe DeVries at measurezjoe@hotmail.com.

To get involved or donate, please fill out and mail the Donation Form shich is linked below, along with your check, to:
Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance, FPPC ID# 1259121
1714 Franklin Street, #100-118
Oakland, CA 94612

Click here to download FAQ Sheet

Click here to download Donation Form

Measure Z Oakland Cannabis Regulation and Revenue Ordinance

Section 1: TITLE
Oakland Cannabis Regulation and Revenue Ordinance

Section 2: FINDINGS
The people of Oakland, California findas follows:

WHEREAS it is a goal of the people of Oakland to keep drugs off the streets and away from children, and to eliminate street dealing and violent crime; and

WHEREAS each year California spends over $150 million enforcing cannabis (marijuana)laws, expending valuable law enforcement resources that would be better spent on fighting violent and serious crimes; and

WHEREAS medical and governmental studies have consistently found cannabis to be less dangerous than alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and

WHEREAS otherwise law-abiding adults are being arrested or imprisoned for nonviolent cannabis offenses, clogging our courts and jails; and

WHEREAS controlling and regulating cannabis so that it is only sold by licensed businesses would undermine the hold of street dealers on our neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS in the face of the severe state and local budget crises, the revenues from taxing and licensing cannabis would help fund vital Oakland city services; and

WHEREAS the current laws against cannabis have needlessly harmed patients who need it for medical purposes, and impeded the development of hemp for fiber,oil, and other industrial purposes; and

WHEREAS it is the hope of the people of Oakland that there will be state and federal law reform that will eliminate the problems and costs caused by cannabis prohibition;

THEREFORE the people of the City of Oakland do hereby enact the following ordinance establishing the cannabis policy of the city.

Section 3: DEFINITION
"Cannabis" - Means "marijuana" as currently defined in California Health & Safety Code Section 11018.

Section 4: PURPOSE
The purpose of this ordinance is:

a) To direct the City of Oakland to tax and regulate the sale of cannabis for adult use, so as to keep it off the streets and away from children and to raise revenue for the city,as soon as possible under state law.

b) To direct the Oakland Police Department to make investigation, citation, and arrest for private adult cannabis offenses the lowest law enforcement priority, effective immediately upon passage of this ordinance.

c) To advocate for changes in state law (and at other levels as necessary) to authorize the taxation and regulation of cannabis and eliminate criminal penalties for private, adult cannabis use.

Section 5: REGULATION
The City of Oakland shall establish system to license, tax and regulate cannabis for adult use as soon as possible under California law. At that time, the City Council shall promulgate regulations that include, but are not limited to, the following provisions consistent with California law:

a) The sale and distribution to minors will be strictly prohibited;

b) The city shall establish a licensing system for cannabis businesses, with regulations to assure good business practices, compliance with health and safety standards, access for persons with disabilities, and nuisance abatement;

c) Minors shall not be permitted in areas where cannabis is sold, nor shall minors be employed by licensed cannabis businesses;

d) No business licensed to sell cannabis will be located within 600 feet of a school;

e) Cannabis businesses shall be required to pay taxes and licensing fees;

f) The public advertising of cannabis through television, radio, or billboards will be prohibited; and

g) Onsite consumption shall be licensed so as to keep cannabis off the streets and away from children, subject to reasonable air quality standards.

Section 6: LOWEST LAW ENFORCEMENT PRIORITY

a) The Oakland Police Department shall make investigation, citation, and arrest for private adult cannabis offenses Oakland's lowest law enforcement priority.

b) This "lowest law enforcement priority" policy shall not apply to distribution of cannabis to minors,distribution or consumption of cannabis on streets or other public places,or motor vehicle violations.

Section 7: COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
A Community Oversight Committee shall be appointed to oversee the implementation of the Oakland Cannabis Regulation and Revenue Ordinance. The Committee will be composed of:

1 community member appointed by each member of the Oakland City Council

1 community member appointed by the Mayor of Oakland

1 representative of the Oakland City Auditor

1 representative of the Oakland City Manager Responsibilities of the Committee shall include:

a) Ensure timely implementation of this ordinance;

b) Oversee the implementation of the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority policy;

c) Make recommendations to the Oakland City Council regarding appropriate regulations, in accordance with Section 5 above;

d) Oversee the disbursement of revenues generated through the sale of cannabis by licensed cannabis businesses to ensure that funds go to vital city services such as schools, libraries and youth programs; and e) Report annually to the Council on implementation of this ordinance.

Section 8: ADVOCACY FOR LEGISLATIVE REFORM
The City of Oakland shall advocate, through its lobbyist and other city officers, for changes to state law (and law sat other levels of government as necessary) to support the goals and implementation of this ordinance. Legislative changes to be advocated include:

a) Allow for the taxation and regulation of cannabis for adults;

b) Grant local control to cities and counties to license and regulate cannabis businesses, and collect appropriate fees and/or taxes; and

c) End the prosecution, arrest,investigation and imprisonment for adult, private cannabis offenses.

Section 9: SEVERABILITY

If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid,the remainder of the ordinance and the application of such provisions to there persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Measure Z Links

Information About Cannabis (Marijuana) and Legal Reform Efforts:

CA NORM

Drug Policy Alliance

Marijuana Policy Project

Cannabis Consumers Campaign

Equal Rights for All

Safe Access Now

NORML

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Information About Registering to Vote, Voting, Ballot Measures, and Initiative Rules:

Alameda County Registrar of Voters

California Secretary of State, Elections Information

Register to Vote

Voter Registration Requirements
You may register to vote if you meet the following requirements:

* You are a United States citizen.
* You are a resident of California.
* You are at least 18 years of age (or will be by the date of the next election).
* You are not in prison or on parole for conviction of a felony.
* You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote.

California Voter Registration Form to fill in and mail out
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Partial California On-line Voter Registration
For security purposes, full on-line voter registration is not yet available, but by completing the information requested in the on-line form on this site, a registration card with your information will be printed and mailed to you.

Once you receive your form in the mail, which takes approximately 7 to 10 days, you must sign, date, and return it by mail to the county elections official on the return address side of the voter registration card. Please make sure all of the information is correct and drop it back in the mail. We'll pay for the postage!

California's on-line voter registration form