Earlier this month, the Sacramento Bee quoted Humboldt County Supervisor Rex Bohn pushing to promote Humboldt County’s weed cachet post-legalization. “Although he’s no advocate of his county’s most infamous product,” the Bee said, “he is lobbying to make it a brand.”
Savvy entrepreneurs have been doing that for years, and not just with the plant itself. Take Trinidad resident Flow Well. (Yes, that’s his name.) Back in 2010, when it looked like Prop. 19 was going to legalize weed-for-fun, Well started tinkering with copyright-free images he found online, Photoshopping pot leaves and spliffs onto old propaganda posters and pinup girls.
“My girlfriend got home and said, ‘Wow, those are cool. You should do something with those,'” he recalled. And he has. Underground Postcard Collective, the business Well founded, now sells marijuana-themed postcards, posters, magnets and greeting cards at stores all over Humboldt County and beyond. Many of the images, including the stoned Mae West lookalike above, could easily be labels on the “Humboldt Brand” joint packs of the future. And they’re selling all by themselves.
“I didn’t intend it to turn into an actual rent-paying business,” he said with a laugh, “but it did. Now I’m working on getting wider distribution.”
His images range from the silly (a stoned garden gnome) to the political (a femme fatale with the caption, “Fuck legalization — keep the black market alive”). Does Well agree with that sentiment? He stammers a bit and finally says he tries to keep his own views out of his graphics. Still, unlike many growers, he’s not too worried about the future.
“I think legalization will only help my business,” he said.
Elsewhere:
Last Wednesday the Drug Policy Alliance filed a legislation initiative that would legalize fun pot, but the drug reform group hasn’t said yet whether it’s aiming for 2014 ballots or 2016. If it’s 2014, that would make for three competing legalization bills in California.
Here’s a hypothetical: Say you’re a 36-year-old Oregonian, hangin’ in the alley behind Toby & Jack’s on a Friday afternoon and smokin’ a joint (as you do). And let’s say, further, that you have a backpack filled with hash, a pound and a half of processed ganja and about $18,000 cash. Question: When Arcata cops swing by and strike up a conversation, should you
a) show them a fake I.D. or
b) not do that? Vincent David Torrey chose “a” and got arrested for it.
This article appears in Humboldt Outside.
Legalization California 2014 – CCHI 2014
Places to Sign right NOW: http://www.cchi2014.org/placestosign.html
SUMMARY:
CALIFORNIA CANNABIS HEMP INITIATIVE 2014
(The Jack Herer Initiative)
AN INITIATIVE OF THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA TO END HEMP PROHIBITION
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Legalizes cannabis hemp. Creates and funds new cannabis hemp based industries and jobs.
Permits the use of marijuana by adults 21 and older and licenses, regulates, enforces, and taxes recreational marijuana sales just like beer and wine.
Requires that 50% of excise taxes collected from sales of recreational cannabis be made available to be used for the development, promotion, and assistance in the creation of industrial, nutritional, and medicinal cannabis hemp industries.
Prohibits any and all taxation of medicinal cannabis, and expands the accessibility of medicinal cannabis used in accordance with Proposition 215.
Prohibits cities and counties from imposing discriminatory, excessive, or prohibitive zoning requirements and fees on cannabis outlets.
Allows farmers to grow industrial hemp and hemp seed, and allows industries and entrepreneurs to use the crop for the many uses and applications that hemp provides, both historically and modern.
Restricts the use in California of genetically modified Cannabis seeds.
Eliminates the unfair practice of drug testing for Cannabis metabolites, which can be retained in the human body for months. Impairment testing for non-metabolized cannabis, a more effective and accurate measurement for impairment or recent usage, would replace the metabolite test.
Mandates that the state establish performance based standards, similar to those established for alcohol, to determine levels of impairment for safe operation of motor vehicles and other equipment.
Allows for the release and discharge of people currently being punished for non –violent marijuana offenses, saving taxpayers millions of dollars annually and freeing up jail space, judicial and crime fighting resources.
Removes Cannabis from the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, which currently allows the Federal Government to Regulate Cannabis as a Schedule I drug.
Prohibits California Law enforcement from assisting Federal Drug agents attempting to enforce federal laws that are no longer illegal by reason of this legislation.
Allows for personal use and possession of Cannabis grown for personal consumption.
Caps the excise tax for commercial sales at 10% of retail price. Caps the license fees for commercial production, distribution, and sales at $1000.
Allows a physician to approve or recommend medicinal cannabis without fear of repercussion to all patients, regardless of age.