Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
I doubt the first pot pioneers in Humboldt County, referred to as “back-to-the-landers” during the late 1960s, realized they might someday sow the seeds for an industry which could financially bail out the state of California.
In a delightful, ironic twist, those intrepid pioneers who fled the establishment to seek a simpler way of life must now re-establish contact with the “man” if they want to survive legalization and maintain their way of life.
Most fear legalization. They worry their profit margin will shrink so badly -- from taxes and competition -- they won't be able to make a living. Some ask if growing for medical marijuana dispensaries will be enough to keep them in business.
The good news is that growers, law enforcement officials, nonprofits and city governments are already holding public meetings to work out what happens here after legalization. One of the first meetings, held in Garberville (Southern Humboldt) in March, was covered nationwide.
What's After Pot (WAP) founder Anna Hamilton spoke during the Garberville meeting about the need to save the pot economy and prepare for legalization. She's attempting to bring local growers together so they can adapt to paying taxes and becoming part of the system they ran away from 40 years ago.
In preparation for legalization, a task force headed up by Humboldt County Supervisor Mark Lovelace was formed to define regulatory issues surrounding grows.
The Humboldt Medical Marijuana Advisory Panel (HuMMAP) works to organize growers, businesses and employees of the cannabis industry. They held their second meeting on May 18 at the Garberville Civic Club.
Humboldt County's famous “killer buds” are already a brand name that can be utilized to encourage tourism by creating businesses that appeal to pot smokers.
I suspect we've had tourists coming here for that covert reason ever since the word slipped out about strains like “Granddaddy Purple” and others that raised the bar in worldwide cannabis culture.
Some locals feel we could become the Napa Valley of the weed world, with our exotic strains and innovative growers. Our products would find their niche in the market because of the demand for quality among discriminating users.
Competition will come from Mendocino and Trinity counties, which have their own reputation for quality marijuana. The quality of indoor cannabis versus outdoor will continue to be a factor. In addition, there will be massive grows when big business digs into the fertile marijuana market.
Smart growers are already networking with each other, staying in contact with organizations like NORML, and preparing to adapt to the new business model.
I believe Humboldt County will adapt to legalization because its economy needs pot revenue, and has for decades. There has always been an unspoken alliance between growers and business owners. It's an economic factor in keeping the local economy afloat. Jobs have been scarce, and few pay better than trimmers, since the decline of the lumber mills and fishing.
We have unique Humboldt blogs that reflect our weed culture, such as High Like Me, Humboldtage, Humboldt Grow, Humboldt Living, Redheaded Blackbelt and Sohum Parlance II, that contain information on everything marijuana from cultivation to local prices.
The news they provide daily often makes it into the mainstream media, such as Southern Humboldt Kym Kemp's (Redheaded Blackbelt) unique stories about growers in her community. We already have a grassroots network of growers, bloggers, merchants, nonprofits and city officials to meet the challenge of legalization. That proactive attitude will make the difference between success and failure.
Everyone has to wait until the new rules are laid out. I don't see that as a roadblock, just the settling in of a new reality. Keep in mind, marijuana has thrived in Humboldt County for decades. The culture it's created is woven into the very fabric of our communities.
There's no place in the United States with a longer, more complex relationship between the public, marijuana growers, law enforcement and merchants. Legalizing pot is the final destination on a road that has had many detours since those first “back-to-the-landers” planted seeds in our fertile soil.
As it stands, independent spirits are common behind the Redwood Curtain, and their marketing ability will come through when Californians are legally allowed to partake of pot.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: times-standard.com
Author: Dave Stancliff
Copyright: 2010 Times-Standard
Contact: Contact Us - Times-Standard Online
Website: As It Stands: Why Humboldt County will survive marijuana legalization - Times-Standard Online
In a delightful, ironic twist, those intrepid pioneers who fled the establishment to seek a simpler way of life must now re-establish contact with the “man” if they want to survive legalization and maintain their way of life.
Most fear legalization. They worry their profit margin will shrink so badly -- from taxes and competition -- they won't be able to make a living. Some ask if growing for medical marijuana dispensaries will be enough to keep them in business.
The good news is that growers, law enforcement officials, nonprofits and city governments are already holding public meetings to work out what happens here after legalization. One of the first meetings, held in Garberville (Southern Humboldt) in March, was covered nationwide.
What's After Pot (WAP) founder Anna Hamilton spoke during the Garberville meeting about the need to save the pot economy and prepare for legalization. She's attempting to bring local growers together so they can adapt to paying taxes and becoming part of the system they ran away from 40 years ago.
In preparation for legalization, a task force headed up by Humboldt County Supervisor Mark Lovelace was formed to define regulatory issues surrounding grows.
The Humboldt Medical Marijuana Advisory Panel (HuMMAP) works to organize growers, businesses and employees of the cannabis industry. They held their second meeting on May 18 at the Garberville Civic Club.
Humboldt County's famous “killer buds” are already a brand name that can be utilized to encourage tourism by creating businesses that appeal to pot smokers.
I suspect we've had tourists coming here for that covert reason ever since the word slipped out about strains like “Granddaddy Purple” and others that raised the bar in worldwide cannabis culture.
Some locals feel we could become the Napa Valley of the weed world, with our exotic strains and innovative growers. Our products would find their niche in the market because of the demand for quality among discriminating users.
Competition will come from Mendocino and Trinity counties, which have their own reputation for quality marijuana. The quality of indoor cannabis versus outdoor will continue to be a factor. In addition, there will be massive grows when big business digs into the fertile marijuana market.
Smart growers are already networking with each other, staying in contact with organizations like NORML, and preparing to adapt to the new business model.
I believe Humboldt County will adapt to legalization because its economy needs pot revenue, and has for decades. There has always been an unspoken alliance between growers and business owners. It's an economic factor in keeping the local economy afloat. Jobs have been scarce, and few pay better than trimmers, since the decline of the lumber mills and fishing.
We have unique Humboldt blogs that reflect our weed culture, such as High Like Me, Humboldtage, Humboldt Grow, Humboldt Living, Redheaded Blackbelt and Sohum Parlance II, that contain information on everything marijuana from cultivation to local prices.
The news they provide daily often makes it into the mainstream media, such as Southern Humboldt Kym Kemp's (Redheaded Blackbelt) unique stories about growers in her community. We already have a grassroots network of growers, bloggers, merchants, nonprofits and city officials to meet the challenge of legalization. That proactive attitude will make the difference between success and failure.
Everyone has to wait until the new rules are laid out. I don't see that as a roadblock, just the settling in of a new reality. Keep in mind, marijuana has thrived in Humboldt County for decades. The culture it's created is woven into the very fabric of our communities.
There's no place in the United States with a longer, more complex relationship between the public, marijuana growers, law enforcement and merchants. Legalizing pot is the final destination on a road that has had many detours since those first “back-to-the-landers” planted seeds in our fertile soil.
As it stands, independent spirits are common behind the Redwood Curtain, and their marketing ability will come through when Californians are legally allowed to partake of pot.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: times-standard.com
Author: Dave Stancliff
Copyright: 2010 Times-Standard
Contact: Contact Us - Times-Standard Online
Website: As It Stands: Why Humboldt County will survive marijuana legalization - Times-Standard Online
