What's After Pot? Cannabis!
Regulatory Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Rural Northern California
Saturday, July 24th, 2010 I produced a conference at the Bayside Grange, near Arcata, California for Humboldt Medical Marijuana Advisory Panel, called "Humboldt Cannabis-A Future of Opportunity." It was a heady event, focused on bringing a wide variety of perspectives to the cannabis community and the people and agencies attempting to regulate it.
HUMMAP's conference gave me great confidence in the future. Humboldt County's marijuana community is off the couch and moving fast to assert its rights to a place at the cannabis regulatory table. I saw 250 proven achievers there, from many time-tested victorious battles. They had that look of determination in their eyes. As individuals they have won so many struggles in the past 30 years that I recommend to the anti-marijuana crowd that they surrender now. Save us all a lot of time and money, because in the end we will surely prevail.
The ground work we must now lay will establish access to market places on a scale of Humboldt's capacity to produce. Safe transportation and access into the city markets is the key. If the well-wishers for the successful legalized cannabis economy could understand only one thing it is that the California Highway Patrol has become the federales, not only on our highways, but on our city streets. Hard-hit sheriffs turn to the CHP to cover street patrols, meaning that the officers patrolling our streets may know nothing about our communities, and are indoctrinated to hate everything marijuana.
Is the Highway Patrol ready to set regulations for legal transportation of cannabis? Tell us how to license and bond our certified drivers in permitted vehicles so we can get to the larger markets within the State of California. The Highway Patrol must be feeling the economy by now, so let's make a deal: the CHP stops perp-stopping people so we can conduct business, and we'll pay taxes so they can get funding, ok?
Sounds good to me. But how does one influence the behavior of the California Highway Patrol? Someone has to cut the deal that makes them back off. That will be the job of the next governor. And it better be Jerry Brown, because Meg Whitman doesn't even believe in medical marijuana. A Republican sweep would include the disastrous Republican candidate for attorney general, Steve Poisner, and a return to Stonehenge marijuana policy.
So, there really is no separating marijuana and politics now. Never have such stark contrasts faced the Emerald Triangle voter. We either get out the vote for legalization and Jerry Brown, or take a beating from the cops. On a humorously ironic note, we must incite our 18 year olds to vote for their rights to smoke pot when they turn 21. That shouldn't be too hard! Unless the counter-culture they admire says not to.
It's time for the Emerald Triangle to face it. The forces of the marijuana marketplace are out of our control. The voters of California are going to tell us whether it's legal or not. It's not easy to ask my pot growing friends to vote against their interest in high prices supported by the black market. But I do say that their support for Prop 19 will help get out the vote this year and keep California from falling back into the dark ages.
Northern California Marijuana growers could really give a big boost to this November's election and make world history by supporting legalization. And, by voting against their immediate interests, lay the groundwork for securing their place in the new economy. So, tell all your friends: Vote for legalization. Vote yes for Prop. 19. And put in a governor who will make the most of the opportunity, Jerry Brown.
Economic Impacts of Marijuana Legalization Inside the Emerald Triangle
Anyone who lives in Northern California knows that black market marijuana money is the only difference between us and the bankruptcy of the rest of our nation. So, given that pot's value will certainly drop when it is legalized, and because that could happen as soon as this November, I invited representatives of Humboldt and Mendocino County, from growers to government, to get real about the future, for all our sakes.
A survey was given at the forum that included the question, "Do you think marijuana legalization will improve your economy?" 95% of the 185 representatives of the communities of business, economic development, non-profits, education, service organizations, self-employed rural resisdents, the arts and others attending the meeting agreed it will be a disaster. Even the major policy makers of Humboldt County government, economic planning and education came to the same conclusion: When marijuana is legalized Humboldt County simply cannot afford to snub its one last economic opportunity: Well-marketed marijuana value-added products and services.
This historic meeting was notable for its collegiate atmosphere and restraint. For the first time in my life common sense defined the conversation about marijuana. It just took a depression for the marijuana culture to be acknowledged as a major economic engine in California, that ought to be utilized and respected.
The forum has received wide national media attention, from MSNBC to Salon.com, and I have been mischaracterized as a marijuana grower opposed to legalization. I am a musician. And I believe voting against legalization because it will effect your personal economy is immoral and is voting for someone else's suffering to protect yourself. That is a conflict of interest that requires recusal. Just don't vote on that issue if you find yourself even thinking about it.
The Drug War is a flop in Humboldt County, and its casualties are some of the finest minds in the country. 28 years of beating has taken its toll on our youth and given them one of the highest mortality rates in the state. Our suicide rate is highest in the nation, and our talents are stunted from the constant interference of cynical polititians. The people of California can lead us out of this mess and I hope they do. Just not this year, we're not ready for it yet.
To see how Humboldt County's award winning weekly, The NorthCoast Journal, reported on the forum, check out "Welcome to Pot City".
—Anna Hamilton