16 Comments
User's avatar
Jeff Cook-Coyle's avatar

The sheriff had an anti-marijuana flyer from the 1970s. How did it get so out of control?

Expand full comment
Little Nesi's avatar

Noticed that

Expand full comment
JJ's avatar

Thank you for continuing to make this known. Decriminalization would kick these guys out of the market and get the cartels out of the game.

Expand full comment
Keely Covello's avatar

The factor I keep hearing about from law enforcement up there is the demand for black market weed internationally. Supposedly a lot of these foreign drug trafficking orgs are growing weed here bc of lax law enforcement and shipping it overseas to feed global demand in countries like the UK. If that’s true legalization would even further defang law enforcement and embolden groups exploiting rural America to grow contraband for cartels.

Expand full comment
JJ's avatar

What a mess.

Expand full comment
Frontera Lupita's avatar

Decriminalization “has not kicked these guys (the cartels) out of the market”. These groups of organized cartel marijuana growers are nor going to go way quietly in the night.

There’s still plenty of “business” selling to people, who don’t want to pay the high prices that are at the “legal dispensaries”. They don’t want a vape pen, or any such nonsense. A good old pipe or a joint is fine for them.

Expand full comment
FH's avatar

A few years ago I saw documentary “Murder Mountain” (Humboldt County) and recall discussion by those interviewed that regulatory requirements make it really expensive to grow marijuana legally. Also recently saw another video, on Sharyl Attkisson’s Full Measure, showcasing Oregon growers who have faced similar cost challenges.

From the aforementioned documentary I took away the notion that black market grow-sell operations will flourish as long as the bureaucracy imposes crippling fees, taxes, and other requirements. It’s good to remember that once an agency has power, they will not willingly give it up, nor will they voluntarily curb their own growth.

Expand full comment
Frontera Lupita's avatar

Yes I saw that film Murder Mountain. You are ‘right on the money’ about the “illegal grows” vs. the “legal grows” which are heavily regulated, have crazy fees, both the seller and the user are taxed. I bought some THC ‘gummies’ at a dispensary and couldn’t believe the taxes I paid in addition to CA sales tax!

Expand full comment
JJ's avatar

At this point those people are part of the problem. Especially in states with recreational and not to mention it's cheaper than the old way of doing business. They're not going to keep growing it illegally if nobody buys it. It would seem that the people who are just refusing to evolve in their actions are enjoying the stupidity of paying too much for unsafe flower that has chemicals and other issues, like mold, it's low IQ and supports criminality. I can't stand idiots who are unable to realize their purchasing power as consumers and want to pay more bc dumbfuk douche with the dime bags " hooks them up" it's ridiculous.

Expand full comment
Timmy Taes's avatar

"She asked officers to accompany her to her property, which included an unlicensed marijuana grow, to check on her employee."

Why does anyone need a license to grow a plant? Growing or imbibing Marijuana should be treated the same as tomatoes.

Expand full comment
Frontera Lupita's avatar

In California since the legalization of pot, in order to sell it “legally” it has to be a “legalized grow’ (ie pay got local and state licensing fees) and collect all the Taxes that the State of California levies against “legal maríjuana” when purchasing, which actually are quite high.

Every resident of CA is allowed to do a “personal grow” of a few plants, for their “personal use.” These “illegal grows” up in Mendocino and Humboldt are far from any “personal grows”.

Expand full comment
Timmy Taes's avatar

The "personal use" rule is bullshit! When I grow vegetables in my garden, I give a lot of them away. The state government poo-bahs in Sacramento have no right to dictate to me my "personal use."

You used the word "allowed". I hate that word.

Expand full comment
Frontera Lupita's avatar

Allowed” is the language the State of CA uses not me. There’s a LOT of rules, regulations, and laws that the legislators of CA have passed over the past 30 plus years here that are total bullshit as well.

I’m just saying a “personal grow” for yourself or your friends and neighbors, is much different that the Illegal ‘grows’ that are going on all over Humboldt and Mendocino Counties.

Expand full comment
Timmy Taes's avatar

PS: The grows are illegal because they are on private land. If they are on state land, well, why does the government "own" any land? It's not in the US Constitution that the government can own land.

The basic issue is private property.

Expand full comment
Timmy Taes's avatar

I understand that "Allowed" is a word the state uses, not you or me. I still hate the word. The state law made by men and women in Sacramento is the difference between "personal grow" and "illegal grow."

The politicians came up with this bullshit. I refuse to play their game.

Expand full comment
Richard Parker's avatar

The collapse continues....

Expand full comment