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Pot activists blow smoke at Obama

Hitting the green can certainly make one forgetful, but Bay Area’s marijuana activists have not forgiven — much less forgotten — the feds’ recent raids on medical marijuana dispensaries legal under state law.

On Monday, local activists are going to blow off some smoke.

Cannabis advocates plan to protest President Barack Obama’s fundraising event at Oakland’s Fox Theater at 4:30 p.m. About 10 minutes before would seem to be an apt time to begin.

The venue, located on Telegraph Avenue between 18th and 19th streets, is just a couple blocks away from the city’s famed (and recently raided) marijuana “college,” Oaksterdam University.

Dale Sky Jones, the executive chancellor of Oaksterdam University, told the Oakland Tribune:

“The irony of him coming to Oaksterdam and asking for money is flabbergasting. We’re going to let him know where he is Monday.”

Since October, the feds have shut down hundreds of California’s marijuana dispensaries, despite Obama’s 2008 campaign pledge to let individual states determine the legality of cannabis.

With city permission to rally outside City Hall, protestors like Jeff Jones, who runs the Patient ID Center, told the Trib the event will be peaceful:

“It’s an opportunity for us to make them aware that we’re not going to sit idly by and let them get away with this.”

Both President Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney were in the Bay Area over the weekend to raise money.

Last modified July 23, 2012 5:02 pm

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