Richard Lee: Cannabis activist, founder of Oakland’s Oaksterdam University dies at 62, school says

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — Richard Lee, the founder Oaksterdam University in Oakland, died last month. He was 62.

Lee passed away after a battle with cancer in Houston, Texas, on July 27, after a lifetime of cannabis activism that included founding the trade school in 2007 preparing students for careers in the cannabis industry.

Oaksterdam University officials said on its website, “Lee is best known as the founder of the world’s first cannabis training school, Oaksterdam University, and for financing and spearheading California’s Proposition 19 in 2010, the first attempt to legalize cannabis for all adults over 21 in the modern era. Although the ballot measure failed by a slim margin, the election led to successful initiatives in 2012 in Colorado and Washington, setting off a wave of legislative change throughout the United States and the rest of the world. In California, it forced the passage of Senate Bill 1449, which decriminalized cannabis statewide and reduced possession arrests by 89% by the following year.”

Lee left Oaksterdam University in April 2012 after federal DEA agents raided the school.

He told now-retired ABC7 News reporter Wayne Freedman following the raid, “I’ve been doing this over 20 years, so I think I’ve done my duty. I think I’ve done my time on the front lines and others can take over,” he said. He said he is not giving up the fight to legalize marijuana. “Well, I’m not leaving the fight. I’m going to still be campaigning more than ever for legislation, maybe going to Washington and Colorado that both have legalization on the ballot this year,” he said.

The school said “no charges were ever pressed against him, the motivation for the raid likely came from Lee’s outspoken activism and public statements that he had used profits from his cannabis business to fund his political actions.”

The school reopened.

The school said in 1990, when Lee was 28 years old, he suffered a workplace injury which left him paraplegic and wheelchair-bound. The incident also caused chronic severe nerve pain, for which he turned to cannabis.

After leaving Oaksterdam University, Lee moved to Houston to be closer to his family and become primary caregiver for his mother Ann Lee, the school said.

A celebration of life is being planned for November 9 and organizers are calling on the public for help.

Planners are asking people to share photos, videos, and stories of Lee.