When Otto Friedli, the founder of the original San Bernardino Hells Angels chapter, was imprisoned in 1958, Barger was proclaimed de facto national president. One of his first actions was to relocate the club's "mother chapter"– the national headquarters– from San Bernardino to Oakland. Later that year, Barger suffered a fractured skull during a fight with Oakland police. [7] Although the basic organization was in place when Barger took over leadership of the club, he introduced additional rules pertaining to new members, club officers, and the establishment of new chapters. [18] Under Barger's leadership, the club's membership began to increase. By 1960, the Oakland Hells Angels had established an extensive narcotics network within the club. [21] Some of Barger's rules included "no using dope during a meeting" and "no drug burns" (rip-offs). [22] The Hells Angels worked as "part-time distributors" of drugs in the 1950s and early 1960s. [22] Giuseppe Valiante. "Sun News: Bust shows connections in criminal underworld in Canada". Sunnewsnetwork.ca. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012 . Retrieved June 18, 2013.

Sher, Julian; Marsden, William (2010). The Road to Hell: How the Biker Gangs are Conquering Canada. Knopf Canada. ISBN 978-0-307-36586-6.Thompson, Hunter (2001). Fear and Loathing in America (2nded.). Simon & Schuster. p.784. ISBN 978-0-684-87316-9. CI: Gonzo Foundation Scholarship Fund". ci.uky.edu. Archived from the original on June 21, 2020 . Retrieved June 19, 2020.

a b "Hunter Thompson Blown Sky High". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011 . Retrieved July 30, 2010. Hall, Neal (June 10, 2005). "Behind the Patch: Angels ABCs". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on March 3, 2010 . Retrieved August 13, 2010.Thompson was also an ardent supporter of drug legalization and became known for his detailed accounts of his own drug use. He was an early supporter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and served on the group's advisory board for over 30 years, until his death. [87] He told an interviewer in 1997 that drugs should be legalized "[a]cross the board. It might be a little rough on some people for a while, but I think it's the only way to deal with drugs. Look at Prohibition; all it did was make a lot of criminals rich." [63] Montreal police try to calm mafia war fears after multiple killings". Global News. Global Montreal. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013 . Retrieved June 18, 2013.