Oaksterdam News Network - Mayoral candidate Nancy Nadel supports Measure Z adult use clubs

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Mayoral candidate Nancy Nadel supports Measure Z adult use clubs

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Comments on voter poll

Oaksterdam News commissioned an Evans McDonough poll over Jan. 6 - 9 that found Oakland voters are ready for private, adult-use clubs, and 58% are more likely to vote for a candidate who supported Measure Z.

In the Oakland mayoral race, that candidate is Councilmember Nancy Nadel.

When voters are reminded that Nadel supported Measure Z and that Ignacio De La Fuente opposed it, she gains enough undecided votes and he loses enough support to put her in 2nd place. Ex-Congressman Ron Dellums, who has a long history of supporting cannabis reform, leads the race with 44%, followed by Nadel with 21% and De La Fuente with 20%. The primary election is June 6, 2006.

Reacting to the new poll numbers, Nadel remarked, “The voters were clear when they voted and polls show their feelings haven’t changed — they want to decriminalize private marijuana use.

   “Taxpayer dollars are tragically wasted on imprisoning people for private use of marijuana when those dollars are so needed for basic services.”

Oaksterdam News contacted Nadel for some questions and answers.

Q    Do you agree that the City should ensure Measure Z rules include private adult use clubs as the initiative intended, not just home sales and use?

Nadel:    Yes. At the last council discussion of this, I suggested that the definition of “private use” include “private clubs” not just private residential use” but there was only minimal support for that from other council members who expressed concern about proliferation of clubs and enforcement to assure that youth are not customers.

Q   Do you believe taxing and regulating the sale of cannabis would better serve Oakland than current incarceration laws?

Nadel:    Like the period of Prohibition of alcohol sales, we are currently experiencing significant violence in our city from turf wars over illegal drug sales.

   Taking the profit out of illegal sales and allowing controlled legal sales makes enormous policy sense. While the end of Prohibition didn’t bring the end of alcoholism, it did end the terrible violence and waste of costly police resources associated with that period. We should learn from that lesson.

Q    Do you believe the sale, cultivation, and private use of cannabis should be the lowest police priorities for the City of Oakland, as Measure Z intended?

Nadel:    Yes, but the devil is in the details. As long as the sale and cultivation is still in the underground economy, uncontrolled, it has negative impacts on some communities who are plagued by street dealing that is violent. In addition, frequent in and out traffic, often accompanied with loud music in the middle of the night and other inconsiderate behavior is disturbing in residential neighborhoods.”

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