'Oaksterdam' provides pot legalization model for California

Roaldgold tipped us to this large article and interview on AlterNet about pot entrepreneur Richard Lee, who envisions a professional marijuana industry in California much like the one that exists in Amsterdam.

Besides Oaksterdam U, which appears to be thriving, Lees tarted the Bulldog Cafe (named after a famous collection of Amsterdam coffeehouses), and owns a pot growing and equipment store where there are a range of high tech machines for making hash, and powerful microscopes for a super enhanced view of the beauty of the pot plant -- in this case "white widow" which the crystals in the pot plant give off a jewel like glow. Near by is a cannabis novelty store with hundreds of cool and corny pot tschockes, T-shirts and the like, soon to be a cannabis museum (like the one in Amsterdam, of course), Lee also has a glass blowing studio and an advertising agency-- all the better to promote his varied operations (e.g. Lee advertises for Oaksterdam U. at concerts at the Shoreline Amphitheatre.) And finally, la piece de resistance, a pot growing warehouse, with many dozens of beautiful and pungent green plants thriving under the warm glow of grow lights. Lee proudly points out his specialties including "white rhino" and "casey jones" -- which are sold at the Blue Sky Cafe, his medical pot dispensary, a block away.