Comment / By videodude / April 2, 2009, 9:35 a.m.

Although I wonder if the grow houses go away maybe rents may come down. We have landlords in the area renting disgusting places for over a $1,000.00 a month. Every time I see one I figure only growers can afford to rent them. Not us working suckers who pay taxes on our income. Oh, and how “Green” is using all that electricity on the illegal grows? Well at least they have their $150,000.00 a year income tax free and I’m sure they contribute to the infrastructure in their own way.

Comment / By prolegalization / April 2, 2009, 10:02 a.m.

I’m all for legalization. Let these growers get creative and find new ways to make money that actually enrich the community. This place can stand to be taken down a notch or two. Maybe it would motivate some folks to move away. Maybe it would cause HSU enrollment to drop. Maybe rents and the cost of buying a home would be reasonable for the average person who works a job. Maybe the black market scenes would dwindle into obscurity. Maybe the good growers would take up some farmers market spaces and offer the best weed in the country just because they enjoy growing it. I believe there are very few of those type of growers. Most do it for the easy profits and so they don’t have to work and live on a “normal” schedule, or don’t have to move away from this hippie mecca. It’s lame. Fuck you to the growers and 215 bullshit. Legalize it already and let’s move on.

Comment / By Mitch / April 2, 2009, 12:58 p.m.

Great article.

As a society, we lack a good framework for saying something like this: “Individual, you are free to smoke/drink/gamble as much as you want. Small business, you are free to provide smoking/drinking/gambling, but not to advertise it. Large business: off limits.”

That is the framework that should be used for much of what a majority deems potentially harmful, but not so clearly harmful that the potential harm overrides individual rights. Sadly, we are so enmeshed in capitalism and its assumptions that the closest we come is regulation. Regulation doesn’t work in our country — the corporations always end up owning the supposed regulators.

I’m not for legalization. I don’t want RJR Reynolds pushing pot — don’t people realize just how powerful and dangerous a technology advertising is? I don’t want the main driver of the local economy to be killed. I don’t want us to look like rural North Carolina.

Comment / By TheSidhe / April 2, 2009, 5:49 p.m.

Personally, I’m for legalization for those of us who simply can’t afford to go through the medical “mumbo-jumbo” for documents that can easily be forged or falsified in some way, like me, but think that only the LOCAL community should be allowed to market, while other corporate endeavors with their own scheming intentions and objectives beneath their belts should be completely nixed. Weed has, sadly, somewhat become Humboldt’s backbone, and the growers enjoy doing what they’re doing, just as the local farmers enjoy growing their goods. If only individual counties could “close the gates” to corporate society… but I think that what we CAN do as a community is simply not buy corporate weed and get all of our supplies from the nicer, more endearing and understanding local suppliers, since their main intent doesn’t rely on the propaganda and “soul sucking” feets that, say, Big Tobacco relies on.

I kind of feel that this legalization effort is putting this healing herb up on a pedestal and is making it a much bigger deal than it really is. I am sad, however, that it is being lumped together with the negative and harmful “drugs” (alcohol and cig’s), as this completely and totally signifies this herb for recreational use, which, for many, it serves as a basic notion of survival for whatever reason, whether it be pain, psychological, or even emotional trauma, not to mention the many cases of panic and anxiety attacks caused by the hustle and bustle of modern society.

Also, to the comment about the increase in use, I think all that will come out of that will be an increase in people ADMITTING their use, as many are closet stoners for good, legal reasons.

Also, just for another 2-cents, NOT ALL STONERS ARE LAZY!!! I know many people who are doing wonderful things with their lives, no matter how much they smoke, not to mention that some people are actually MORE productive “under the influence.” ;)

Comment / By Uncle Sam / April 2, 2009, 8:07 p.m.

If weed wasn’t here at all today, the borders of America wouldn’t be an issue. The billions of wasted dollars spent each year trying to control a plant wouldn’t have been spent, which would be two fold. The millions of Agents which would need to be laid off because there is no need for so many police without Cannabis , VS all public schooling fully funded

The bill of rights would still be a valid document, as well as the constitution which the war on drugs has shredded in the last 70 years. This one action alone caused the population of the world to embrace Democracy because it finally is based on freedom and truth, instead of having to embrace corporate greed and mass pollution.

If Cannabis wasn’t here today our stocks would be more stable, due to the investors not being afraid to voice their opinions about a greener world. They would feel secure in their homes, their states, their countries which would lead to fair employee rights.

Looking back even farther the world would see even bigger changes. The Mexican population in the 1930’s wouldn’t have been kicked out of America, instead the border between the two countries grew into one and the Americas became the world power with all of their resources.

But of course that didn’t really happen because stepping backward even farther we see that America never gained its independency from England. The original colonies that now didn’t grow Hemp because it now doesn’t exist anymore failed in establishing permanent cities because the Native Americans no longer were there to help them. They had never formed into a Race of Humans, due to not making the advancements required of a civilization to cultivate crops.

mankind never had the chance to escape the hunter gatherer period. Thus a world without weed would take mankind back to the age of the pre caveman. Of course all of this kind of freaked out God, who was the one who forgot to give Cannabis to the world in the first place; he is rumored to be trying it all over again with a new solar system. This time he remembered to include his most prized creation, the Cannabis plant. Just in case you aren’t aware, the United States Government has a Cannabis Growing Division and has supplied some of its citizens with its own Marijuana, grown using tax dollars. They have been doing this for many years, so it is kind of funny that this same government locks up people for doing exactly what their own government does.

Comment / By LTA / April 3, 2009, 10:23 a.m.

The dispensaries in Los Angeles are a model for what the market will look like when it is legal. The first thing to note is that marijuana is not exactly equivalent to tobacco in terms of sales. It is more equivalent to a combination of wine and fresh produce. Buyers have shown that they want variety in their product. They want to sample different flavors, much like the shoppers at Trader Joes shop for wine. They probably aren’t going to want to stick to the same old flavor every time, as smokers of tobacco do. They have also shown that they want freshness. Stale marijuana loses value rapidly and soon can’t be sold because it loses its aroma and potency. This isn’t true with either tobacco or alcohol, which have very long shelf lives by comparison. They also clearly value good-looking products. Consumers will pay twice as much for well-formed buds than they will for shake from the same plant. All of these factors will make it difficult for tobacco companies to compete. The best marijuana will be marijuana that is grown locally to the user, or is shipped in while it is still fresh, is well-formed, and comes in a variety of flavors. These are all factors that are easier for a relatively small local grower to achieve. Therefore, the marijuana market will probably be closer to something like the micro-brewers market for beer.

Comment / By Darral Good / April 3, 2009, 2:17 p.m.

allow cannabis to be sold at your local farmers market right next to the tomatoes and lettuce!

Comment / By Shunka / April 6, 2009, 1:28 p.m.

The main benefit of legalization is that people would no longer be persecuted for a victimless “crime.” The idea that smoking a relaxing herb is a criminal activity is absurd, and many people have and are currently suffering under the consequences of a legal system that treats them like criminals. Anyone who grows or has enjoyed marijuana in their lives, and is still against legalization, is basically a traitor to the spirit of the herb.
Basing your decisions on profit is the corporate model; freedom is priceless. It reminds me of the corrupted Earth First! kids who lined up behind the Trees Foundation, as the Trees robbed EF! of $185,000. It was a financial decision, to back up the money-holders, in hopes of receiving funds from them in the future. Despite the principles, “EF! Humboldt” sided with the money and lies of the Trees Foundation, stabbing me and a very generous donor in the back. Money clouds judgment, so, if you want to truly break away from degenerate corporate society, you have to remember to put principles first, like freedom, honesty, and humility.

Comment / By Jaeger / April 9, 2009, 1:24 p.m.

The price is dropping with all the mediocre commercial pot coming out of Humboldt. The quality is down because the growers that love pot are being overwhelmed by the commercial grower. There are many “growers” who have 215’s and don’t smoke pot. Humboldt used to mean the best pot. The local pot grower swagger almost had meaning. Now it is pure greed driving the ruin of Humboldt. Time to get real jobs for the folks only in it for the money. $$$$

Comment / By Thirdeye / April 11, 2009, 1:41 p.m.

Anybody who thinks that the local growers are better than corporations needs to think again. Corporate greed is tempered by accountability and regulation. Greed in the underground economy is unbridled. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a greater incidence of arrogance and entitled behavior than with dealers/growers. It was one of the things that caused me to give up pot. Legalize it and let everybody deal with economic reality.

Comment / By BestgreenfromWA / April 29, 2009, 10:45 a.m.

Just wanted to add, that up in washinton the weed we see out of humboldt county is really low quality. Seems mexicans are growing huge outdoor operations out there, and dont know what the hell they are doing. Washington is having similiar problems theese days. We are having mass mexican outdoor grows, that are seedy and shitty but they are selling for 1500$ a pound so who’s not gonna wana pickup on that? Kinda sad seein all the good growers, with quality weed getting pushed out, and bieng replaced with money wanters, who knows nothing about quality. If weed got legalized it would stop all theese work camps and illegals from trying to proffit this side of the border which is a verry good thing, sad to say but the quality will probably go up, because we know rj reynolds can afford scientists that are qualified:P

Comment / By wayne / May 7, 2009, 2:38 p.m.

The “personal” grow is the way I believe we are headed. As one who is of Humboldt county and fully intends to return there to live the remainder of this life in a place which I believe is one of the absolute best in this country, especially if one enjoys living in a place where Cannabis is accepted as part of the environment. I feel that I am qualified to discuss the personal grow as this is what I did on being forced to move to texas from Arcata. A moderatly sized hydro gro provides what I enjoy, when I want it and always covers me and most overhead. Setup cost minimul. On the job training is always the best & your neighbor will help teach you. BRAVO RUTH LAKE

Comment / By Darral Good letter writer of the month! / May 11, 2009, 11:11 a.m.

LETTER WRITER OF THE MONTH - APRIL

DrugSense recognizes Darral Good from Shoreline, Washington for his six letters published during April, bringing his career total that we know of to 34. You may read Darral’s published letters here

http://www.mapinc.org/writers/Darral+Good

That’s what we need! have a city meeting, and invite people to bring in their best COLAS, and auction them off for money! and raise tons of money for the city!

Comment / By A Tree / May 14, 2009, 2 p.m.

I’d like to take a second to respond to Shunka’s comment above:

as far as endangered redwoods are concerned, EF! Humboldt is doing some very good work, especially for being broke-asses. but, it’s hard for them to raise money under the name Earth First! when everybody else is doing it and they’re busy doing, y’know…

DIRECT ACTION.

If all the donation buttons on all the old/defunct/scam “Earth First!” websites actually sent funds to saving trees, what a wonderful world that would be.

Comment / By Legalize it / May 19, 2009, 3:15 a.m.

Besides the fact that every arguement against can be easily refuted, and nearly all for it cannot, let me tell a story. I have smoked nearly everyday since i was 16. Since then I have earned a college baseball scholarship, am currently working on my masters and have had a full time job most of that time. I smoked at 7am before work everyday, on my breaks at work, before every class, before every test. This was while i was working 40 hrs/week and taking 18 hours of class. I managed to set the grading curb for many of the tests i took in courses such as Advanced Accounting, etc. I took these test while i was stoned as hell. Once i started smoking before all academic activities my GPA increased over 25%! Im not saying that would work for everyone but freedom is doing whats best for you without hurting anyone else. And to think that after i finish my masters i could have problems finding a job b/c of drug screening. Stories like this should illustrate how the government officials do NOT care one bit about all the negative implications of this prohibition. Its all about the benjamins baby. Until we get some wealthy potheads to counter the bribes of corporate America, I seriously doubt there is much else we can do.

Comment / By sean / June 6, 2009, 11:45 a.m.

Marijuana is already being taxed in California. Under prop 215 for medical marijuana patients. This industry is growing and i believe the rest of the United States will eventually catch up with California. http://www.budtrader.com has listings for marijuana in California and just shows how big the industry is.

Comment / By stoner from PA / June 17, 2009, 7:10 a.m.

DNT GROW FOR THE MONEY GROW FOR THE HONEY!!!! I am tired of people getting seedy stemy garbage that i wouldnt smoke if u paid me 1500 a lb. whatever happened to quality not quantity i guess some people are taking advantage of gods gift to earth and the government needs to stop being such up tight assholes and just burn one already. its safer than any other drug even safer than OTC meds so what is the big deal. if any government official has enough balls to address the nation on the cons of legalization of marijuana then ill debate them in a formal setting in front of live tv and tear their arguement apart because their is not any cons to legalization of marijuana.

Comment / By Tomprop215 / Aug. 13, 2009, 5:28 p.m.

For northern California I’d check out www.bayareacannabis.org. They have so much info to offer including classified ads, dispensary and co-op locaters, cannabis news and any else you need to know.

Comment / By Jeremiah Anderson / Aug. 28, 2009, 7:10 a.m.

Thursday, August 06, 2009, I began a process to purge my body of unnatural toxins. I woke leisurely and well rested, did yoga, worked up a sweat, drank lemon grass, spearmint green tea, took a hot, steamy shower and did not allow myself to consume any processed sugar or smoke any cannabis. After reading some of Hunter S. Thompson’s, “Generation of Swine” in which he attacks the folly of the politically minded and socially apathetic alike, I was feeling quite fond of the conscientious decisions I was making. Early in the evening, however, something became apparent that made me feel unclean. My brother informed that somebody had left, “grow” something or other in our yard and that we had to take to the dump tomorrow morning and pay for the dumping with money out of our own pockets. Well at first I was under the impression that someone had left the trim of their marijuana harvest to us and my parents thought we were going to throw it away. To my dismay, though, it was more along the lines of the afterbirth of the ganja rather than the offspring itself. There were old broken plastic pots, destroyed framework and worst of all, soil that stung your nose from the sent of pungent chemicals that were added to thwart pests and stimulate growth. After inspecting the waste I went inside to inquire as to why my parents thought it would be fitting for us to pay for its disposal. Their thoughts were those of a devil’s advocate. They told us it could have been from the grower from whom we buy our pot. There was no way for us to prove it wasn’t. They went on to ask us if we’d ever bothered to ask our dealers if the product they were selling was organically grown. In the hopes of keeping those brief illegal exchanges short, we, of course, hadn’t. All of a sudden I was one of those moral-less journalists that fed his reader hyped up lies of conspiracy that Hunter Thompson had viciously sized up. This putrid and earth defiling waste could have been put to use in our gardens at home if someone had chosen not to use toxic chemicals as if to ensure less work be demanded of the grower and the crop be larger. We, in large, as a community here in Arcata believe that the impact of the methods that are used to produce our resources should be as environmentally friendly as possible and this, my friends, most certainly is not. Because of its illegal status the growing of marijuana goes unregulated so it is our duty as consumers to act. Start demanding chem free weed and soon the growers will comply. We would ask that the carrots we ingest aren’t bathed in pesticides so why would we want our local reefer laced with it?

Comment / By Ganjaman / Sept. 23, 2009, 9:11 p.m.

In the wild cannabis have seeds because of pollination. These mexican outdoor growers just plant alot of seeds and come back a few months later. work of nature. yeah its not sinsemilla and not in a climate controlled environment but its still gods gift.. Personally i love smoking the strain NYC Diesel which isnt pollinated but give me a pound for 1000 with seeds in it. fuck it i will grow those seeds! Also decriminalize it. It will help the prison system and help the greedy dealers also. Legalizing it will just make it easier for me to find it at the grocery store haha.

Comment / By Ry-uhn / Sept. 28, 2009, 3:04 p.m.

I believe if weed were legalized nationally the market would become similar to beer. The commercial herb would be cheap and readily available (Budweiser etc.) and the good stuff would be “Micro-Grown” or “Home Grown”. I think you would still have more than a sufficient market for those that can produce a superior product in small quantities.

Comment / By anarquista420 / Nov. 16, 2009, 10:16 p.m.

its a real catch 22 loose-loose. I thought I was against legalization for the exact reasons stated in this article and then i found myself in jail for a marijuana related offense. On the one hand it kills me knowing how many innocents are locked up over this. On the other I cant stand to feel im playing a part in putting good people out of work for the sake of big buisiness. Also, on a more selfish note, I dont want to loose the excellent buds that the clinics and collectives have now where every plant is grown with loving careful precision. Its a tough one, thankfully we have some time still.

Comment / By localperson / Dec. 16, 2009, 4:50 p.m.

Great points have been made about the differences between cannabis and tobacco. Also keep in mind that the tobacco companies don’t have operations in California, they are mostly based in the South. This presents some complications for them and public companies have to abide their shareholders.

This article regularly references the Assembly bill but fails to mention the two ballot petitions that have apparently gathered enough signatures to put on the ballot. Those initiatives will be responsible for legalization in California, not Ammiano’s bill. The initiative process is why legalization is likely to happen.

Finally, in terms of impact on local economy there are major areas of the peripheral business that are being missed. Humboldt County makes a decent amount of money off of growing but much of that “$300 million” leaves the area. With a legalized environment Humboldt can bank on its branding as a destination. Not Amsterdam but yes, more along the lines of Napa, especially the early days of Napa.

Distance from major cities and difficulty of access will keep most of the cheap and easy tourism out of the area but the marijuana USER culture of this area will finally be able to come above ground. Look forward to many new entertainment options and interesting businesses in Eureka, in particular, where there are spaces and room and a critical mass of people.

Comment / By H / Dec. 27, 2009, 1:53 p.m.

Its the biggest cash crop in Cal, growers are a big part of what keeps the gears turning in this already depressed state, and now people want to take the money from the people and give it to the state, give it to big busyness that takes are money out of state, the same groups that have put are state in the position it is currently in, I have friends that grow, they pay taxes, pay there morgage, spend there money in there community, the people in Sac must know the tail spin it will putt the state in, think of the trickle down affect it will have on local communitys. Ther are bad people every were, so let’s not act like the bad people will go away, they will just turn to dealing heroin or meth or cock, that sounds real nice!!!

Comment / By Jeff E / Jan. 12, 10:47 p.m.

More pot, cheaper pot, easier to get pot makes more stoned people, more of the time.

And that benefits us? Anyone who thinks that has killed too many brain cells from smoking too much dope.

And of course that is just the first step. If this measure passes, the move will be afoot to legalize all drugs.

Comment / By nico / Jan. 13, 12:54 a.m.

It’s kind of funny that no one talks about hemp in this discussion. If weed is legal then so is hemp. What better way to solve the whole “global warming” crisis that has been so drummed up? It’s actually the only major viable solution to petro.

It seems like this issue all really boils down into just another money game. Those making money don’t want to stop. Those who aren’t making money are pissed that they can’t figure it out or are too scared to.

But what does it get anyone to push so hard against a lovely plant? This is just the issue that everyone wants to use at the moment to keep themselves out of alignment with their own enlightenment.

Who really cares what happens one way or the other. Everything always works out fine in the end. For all intensive purposes weed is already legal. Anyone who really wants to find it can. And there’s always another money game to chase down.

We can all hold on tight to the “what is” hoping against hope that the ever-changing world won’t progress. Unfortunately, that just keeps us unhappy. For me it’s a shame that anyone should ever go to jail or go to war over the flowers of peace. But, when you take back your power and realize that you create the world around then you no longer have to fear or harbor ill will toward forces outside of yourself.

Smoke em if you got em! If you don’t then that’s just fine and dandy. I personally follow the immortal words of Allen Ginsberg:

“I smoke marijuana every chance I get”.

Comment / By Shea Amantas / Jan. 24, 7:47 p.m.

Funny— because if it was legal, no one would make money…government, state or the people because any fool could grow it for their own consumption in their back yard! Its a weed. No care needed.

Comment / By Loggy Hanger / Feb. 26, 9:56 a.m.

SUPPORT MEDICAL PROSTITUTION and Remember someone is always going to screw you when it comes to 215.

WE WANT HEMP PANTS.

Comment / By UR High / March 24, 3:48 p.m.

Many areas claim that their local products are best, proudly labeling such items as their ‘claim to fame’, whether it be Wisconsin cheese or Idaho potatoes. The myth that Humboldt grows superior weed is a false rumor by local dillusional potheads who basically use marijuana as a fashion accessory (trying to impress fellow posers (with rasta colors) or deadheads with similar questionable tastes). It is just a plant. It can be grown anywhere. When other places can (and will) grow thier OWN pot, or even more convenient…puchase it in a store, it will most likely better quality, believe you me…they will not here to buy “Humboldt”. Stick to marketing the Redwoods and the Pacific Coast if you want to attract tourists.

Comment / By freetheweed / April 12, 8:04 p.m.

All plants should be left in the natural world as they are. We humans have played God long enough. We survived as a species long before the FDA and if we will educate ourselves and our children about the REAL effects of marijuana then we won’t have serious irresponsible use. Why do people not drink poison even though they can buy it legally?