"Weed for Votes" was the battle cry for tomorrow's primary election in San Jose, California. To encourage turnout, 10 marijuana collectives in the city offered "everything from discounts to free medicine" to patients who proved they voted. All you needed to show is an "I Voted" sticker or a ballot stub. The participating collectives were:
• A2C2 - 1082 Stockton Ave. and 3131 S. Bascom Ave.
• Amsterdam's Garden - 2142 The Alameda
• Greenjean's Place - 3229 S. Bascom Ave.
• HAZ - 2348 Alum Rock Ave. and 1814 Hillsdale Ave, Suite A
• Herbs - 1641 West San Carlos St., 1420 S. Winchester Blvd. and 282 San Jose Ave.
• I&I Collective - 2630 Union Ave. and 1530 Alum Rock Ave.
• Papadon's - 590 Lincoln Ave. and 931 Commercial St.
• Platinum Society - 1174 Lincoln Ave.
• San Jose Patients Group - 824 The Alameda
• Yerba Buena Collective - 2129 S. 10th St., 4211 Barrymore Dr., 4464 Pearl Av., 325 S. Monroe St. and 1324 N. 10th St.
The Silicon Valley Cannabis Coalition recommended candidates "that will take a reasonable approach to regulating cannabis clubs,” says Dave Hodges. "In a few cases candidates were simply better than the alternatives."
The slate included current County Supervisor Dave Cortese for Mayor, and incumbents Laurie Smith for Santa Clara Country Sheriff and Kamala Harris for State Attorney General.
About Cortese, Hodges tells CelebStoner: "All the other serious candidates have been on the City Council for the past five years and are directly responsible for the lack of regulations in San Jose. Dave Cortese is simply the best option we have as an alternative."
Did they receive any flak about the giveaway? "The mayor's office is calling it illegal," Hodges explains, "but the DA's office says it's legal under California law."
