California Could Become The Third U.S. State To Legalize Pot

[Seamaiden]

And if both pass? The courts step in! Now that`s just what we need!!!

Do the two propositions conflict with each other? That's when/where the courts would step in, no?

 

[Baylife]

Most normal California residents do not have first hand experience with California's marijuana industry. So for those that know not here's the facts:

Certain regions in Northern California like humboldt, Mendocino, parts of Sonoma, Tehama, Shasta and butte county to name a few used to be big lumber epicenters. Families used to own mills and employ their fellow townspeople to cut lumber and process it for sale. This was a VITAL part of the economy. Generations of northern Californians used to depend on this industry for their livelihood.

This all ceased once big business entered the picture. Just like coca cola the name of the game is monopolization. Most of the mills were boughten up using shady business tactics involving corruption at the county and city level.....the lumber industry in Northern California is owned and controlled now by cost cutting staunch capitalists. People need to eat and this is where marijuana comes in.....it's puts food in A LOT of peoples stomachs you really have no idea.....most people that grow this stuff don't smoke or particularly care for matijuana.

In conclusion, legalizing pot in California would DEVISTATE local economies all over the state. Big business would have it monopolized the second it was legalized. Marboro already has already purchased thousands of prime real estate in mendo in anticipation.....it's way bigger then blowing a fat Dutch in peace...

 

[Blaze]

Eh, I don't think that's the best analogy. The lumber industry largely collapsed because they were harvesting a finite, non-renewable resource. Honestly there aren't many lumber mills owned by big business anymore - the few left in our area are all locally owned actually. There were definitely some shady corporations that helped tank the industry but that was not the only factor. There just isn't much left to be logged anymore, and what is left is either very difficult to log due to terrain or of poor quality. Really, the logging industry really has no one to blame but themselves and their own short-sightedness. The same will be true of most growers - this has been coming for a long time and you would have to be blind not to see it.

If it goes legal this year, some people will definitely be hurt economically. However, it will also present a tremendous amount of new opportunities as well. There will always be a niche for craft products - but you need to be willing to work hard, and produce a superior or unique product. The best wine is made by place like Opus One, not Carlo Rossi, the best brandy is made by places like Germain Robin, not Christan Brothers, the best beer is made by place like North Coast Brewing Co, not Anheusier-Bush. The same will be true with cannabis - those with the passion, the dedication, and the artisinal touch will thrive despite the involvement of big business. Hate to sat it but there are a lot of REALLY shitty growers in NorCal who don't give a rat's ass about anything but they money - those will be the growers going out of business.

Personally, I am excited about the prospect of legalization. I would LOVE to be able to do what I do openly and freely and not have to worry about legal ramifications. The though of being able to turn growing into a real 9-5 job sounds absolutely awesome to me - even if that means having to work harder and make less.

 

[Baylife]

People have a false sense of how corporations would take advantage of this situation. It's not like they will employ non-pot growers and grow shitty pot.....they will employ logic, seamadien, subcool, Jorge Cervantes....seasoned pot growers that need work. There may be room for previously branded brands to continue their trade when it comes to extracts, edibles etc....look at Colorado, top shelf extracts is a big force in the extract market there. With time mom and pop extract makers that we're not previously branded will fade away.

Now I'm sure people wish to use the analogy of Budweiser and micro breweries. Micro-breweries would not be as popular now if big-beer was smarter years ago and offered alternatives that were not simply Budweiser, bud light, etc. they recently wised up and created shock top (Budweiser) blue moon (coors I believe correct me if I'm wrong). These corporations learned a lot from this grand emergence of microbreweries and will not let that happen again. Now that's not to say that there will be not be room for local speciality options. But best believe it's not that hard to monopolize marijuana....

If you go to Willits the lumber analogy is in full swing. If you go to Fortuna the lumber analogy holds ground as well. If you go to redding you can see what I'm talking about.

 

[Blaze]

Micro-breweries would not be as popular now if big-beer was smarter years ago and offered alternatives that were not simply Budweiser, bud light, etc. they recently wised up and created shock top (Budweiser) blue moon (coors I believe correct me if I'm wrong).

Which is exactly my point - Shock Top and Blue Moon are crap. It is very difficult to create a craft product on a large scale and maintain the same level of quality. There will always be a market for the smaller company that can do it better than the big boys.

 

[markscastle]

http://www.mercurynews.com/californ...marijuana-legalization-measure-off-table-2014

Doesn`t say much about CCHI . Most of the media frenzy is all about Tax Regulate and Control like they were ever in the game in the first place! Prop 19 died and so should Tax Regulate and Control ! CCHI is turning in and counting so should know where that goes for 2014 by or around the 24th. Looks like they were the only ones even coming close and if everyone would have got on board this year it would have been a shoe in. Live an learn for 2016 I guess. Still hopeful but it will be close if at all.

 

[Baylife]

Of course, people like options so no consumer product can truly be monopolized unless it's something futile like band aids. Look at soap; dial owns that shit but look at dr. Bronners becoming more and more popular.

So of course it's not gunna be all bad.

And mark I just saw that on KRON 4 and I jumped out of my seat....just like a couple of years ago....love it.

 

[GreenThumbBill]

Eh, I don't think that's the best analogy. The lumber industry largely collapsed because they were harvesting a finite, non-renewable resource. Honestly there aren't many lumber mills owned by big business anymore - the few left in our area are all locally owned actually. There were definitely some shady corporations that helped tank the industry but that was not the only factor. There just isn't much left to be logged anymore, and what is left is either very difficult to log due to terrain or of poor quality. Really, the logging industry really has no one to blame but themselves and their own short-sightedness. The same will be true of most growers - this has been coming for a long time and you would have to be blind not to see it.

If it goes legal this year, some people will definitely be hurt economically. However, it will also present a tremendous amount of new opportunities as well. There will always be a niche for craft products - but you need to be willing to work hard, and produce a superior or unique product. The best wine is made by place like Opus One, not Carlo Rossi, the best brandy is made by places like Germain Robin, not Christan Brothers, the best beer is made by place like North Coast Brewing Co, not Anheusier-Bush. The same will be true with cannabis - those with the passion, the dedication, and the artisinal touch will thrive despite the involvement of big business. Hate to sat it but there are a lot of REALLY shitty growers in NorCal who don't give a rat's ass about anything but they money - those will be the growers going out of business.

Personally, I am excited about the prospect of legalization. I would LOVE to be able to do what I do openly and freely and not have to worry about legal ramifications. The though of being able to turn growing into a real 9-5 job sounds absolutely awesome to me - even if that means having to work harder and make less.

Very well said! I agree 100%

 

[Baylife]

Which is exactly my point - Shock Top and Blue are crap. It is very difficult to create a craft product on a large scale and maintain the same level of quality. There will always be a market for the smaller company that can do it better than the big boys.

I know there's gunna be haters after this but here it goes...when it comes down to it growing amazing bud isn't really that difficult....try doing graduate level statistics....the theory aspect of the conversation is rich but it doesn't hold ground once you completely detach yourself from your biases and analyze the data.

Yes, there will obviously be talented farmers still selling bud and making money to support their families. The thing is though, what about the hundreds of thousands of pot growers that aren't amazing at what they do? There will be a lot farmers out there broke....whole towns worth of people.....Myers flat is screwed, covolo is screwed, redding and it's horrible weed will not survive....there's a larger picture here to be considered. Anyone that's really in the scene knows what's up...legalization will not be a blessing.

 

[Seamaiden]

At first I liked, but then I realized, wait a minute, this is how it is whenever there's a huge change in any industry, and with specific regard to legalization it's too difficult to move beyond the full impacts of the WoD. And so it is for many things, I hope for conventional agriculture, CAFOs, etc.

 

[SuperSilverHaze]

...Yes, there will obviously be talented farmers still selling bud and making money to support their families. The thing is though, what about the hundreds of thousands of pot growers that aren't amazing at what they do?...

they will starve, find other work or maybe step up their grow skills and compete in the emerging canna-industry.


peace

 

[markscastle]

Or they may take on the next step...Medical mushrooms!

 

[Blaze]

Haha I actually know a few growers who have been getting into mushrooms (medical and edible) as a 'back-up' plan. It's not a bad idea!

 

[markscastle]

They have some studies that show they are useful for Depression, Anxiety and PTSD. I haven`t grown them in many years, but I could.

 

[Blaze]

Psilocybin definitely has medical value. I think it will be a long time before we can convince the guberment on that one though!

 

[markscastle]

It`s not the Government we need to address, it`s the public and media. The Government always follows (in it`s own time).